THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


GENERAL    EDITOR 

WILBUR  LUCIUS  CROSS 

PROFESSOR  OF  ENGLISH  IN  YALE  UNIVERSITY 


Benjamin  Franklin 
After  a  portrait  by  J.  A.  Duplessis 


FRANKLIN'S 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


EDITED  BY 

FRANK  WOODWORTH  PINE 

HEAD    MASTER    OF    THE    OILMAN    COUNTRY    SCHOOL,    BALTIMORE 


NEW  YORK 
HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  1912 

BY 
HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


August,  1931 


PRINTED  IN  THE  U.  3,  A. 


F8A3 


CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION  PAGE 

I.  Franklin's  Career vii 

II.  Autobiography xxiii 

DESCRIPTIVE  BIBLIOGRAPHY xxvii 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY i 

ELECTRICAL  KITE 197 

THE  WAY  TO  WEALTH 199 

THE  WHISTLE 203 

A  LETTER  TO  SAMUEL  MATHER 206 

NOTES  AND  COMMENT 207 


Portrait  of  Franklin Frontispiece 

Father  Abraham  in  his  Study 196 


INTRODUCTION 


FRANKLIN'S  CAREER 

THE  life  of  Benjamin  Franklin  is  of  importance  to 
every  American  primarily  because  of  the  part  he  played 
in  securing  the  independence  of  the  United  States  and 
ja_jestablishing  it  as  a  nation.  Franklin  shares  with 
Washington  the  honors  of  the  Revolution,  and  of  the 
events  leading  to  the  birth  of  the  new  nation.  While 
Washington— was-  the.  animating  spirit  of  the  struggle  in 
the,  colonies,  Franklin  was  its  ablest  champion  abroad. 
To  Franklin's  cogent  reasoning  and  keen  satire,  we  owe 
the  clear  and  forcible  presentation  of  the  American  case 
in  England  and  France;  while  to  his  personality  and  di 
plomacy  as  well  as  to  his  facile  pen,  we  are  indebted  for 
the  foreign  alliance  and  the  funds  without  which  Wash 
ington's  work  must  have  failed.  His  patience,  forti 
tude,  and  practical  wisdom,  coupled  with  self -sacrificing 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  his  country,  are  hardly  less  no 
ticeable  than  similar  qualities  displayed  by  Washington. 
In  fact,  Franklin  as  a  public  man  was  much  like  Wash 
ington,  especially  in  the  entire  disinterestedness  of  his 
public  service. 

Franklin  is  also  interesting  to  us  because  by  his  life 
and  teachings  he  has  done  more  than  any  other  American 
to  advance  the  material  prosperity  of  his  countrymen. 
It  is  said  that  his  widely  and  faithfully  read  maxims  made 
Philadelphia  and  Pennsylvania  wealthy,  while  Poor 

vii 


viii  Introduction 

Richard's  pithy  sayings,  translated  into  many  languages, 
have  had  a  world-wide  influence. 

Franklin  is  a  good  type  of  our  American  manhood. 
Although  not  the  wealthiest  or  the  most  powerful,  he 
is  undoubtedly,  in  the  versatility  of  his  genius  and  achieve 
ments,  the  greatest  of  our  self-made  men.  The  simple 
yet  graphic  story  in  the  Autobiography  of  his  steady  rise 
from  humble  boyhood  in  a  tallow-chandler  shop,  by  in 
dustry,  economy,  and  perseverance  in  self-improvement, 
to  eminence,  is  the  most  remarkable  of  all  the  remarkable 
histories  of  our  self-made  men.  It  is  in  itself  a  wonder 
ful  illustration  of  the  results  possible  to  be  attained  in  a 
land  of  unequaled  opportunity  by  following  Franklin's 
maxims. 

Franklin's  fame,  however,  was  not  confined  to  his  own 
country.  Although  he  lived  in  a  century  notable  for  the 
rapid  evolution  of  scientific  and  political  thought  and  ac 
tivity,  yet  no  less  a  keen  judge  and  critic  than  Lord  Jeffrey, 
the  famous  editor  of  the  Edinburgh  Review,  a  century 
ago  said  that  "  in  one  point  of  view  the  name  of  Frank 
lin  must  be  considered  as  standing  higher  than  any  of  the 
others  which  illustrated  the  eighteenth  century.  Distin 
guished  as  a  statesman,  he  was  equally  great  as  a  phi 
losopher,  thus  uniting  in  himself  a  rare  degree  of  excellence 
in  both  these  pursuits,  to  excel  in  either  of  which  is  deemed 
the  highest  praise." 

Franklin  has  indeed  been  aptly  called  "  many-sided." 
He  was  eminent  in  science  and  public  service,  in  diplo 
macy  and  in  literature.  He  was  the  Edison  of  his  day, 
turning  his  scientific  discoveries  to  the  benefit  of  his  fel 
low-men.  He  perceived  the  identity  of  lightning  and 
electricity  and  set  up  the  lightning  rod.  He  invented 
the  Franklin  stove,  still  widely  used,  and  refused  to  patent 
it.  He  possessed  a  masterly  shrewdness  in  business  and 


Franklin's  Career  ix 

practical  affairs.  Carlyle  called  him  the  father  of  all  the 
Yankees.  He_^ojjad^--«-4r^«companj,  assisted  in  found 
ing  a  hospital,  and  improved  the  cleaning  and  lighting  of 
streets.  He  developed  journalism,  established  the  Ameri 
can  Philosophical  Society,  the  public  library  in  Philadel 
phia,  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  organized 
a  postal  system  for  the  colonies,  which  was  the  basis  of 
the"  present  United  States  Post  Office.  Bancroft^  the 
eminent  historian,  called  him  "  the  greatest  diplomatist  of 
his  century."  He  perfected  the  Albany  Plan  of  Union 
for  the  colonies.  He  is  the  only  statesman  who  signed  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  the  Treaty  of  Alliance  with 
France,  the  Treaty  of  Peace  with  England,  and  the  Con 
stitution.  As  a  writer,  he  has  produced,  in  his  Autobi 
ography  andin  Poor  Richard's  Almanac,  two  works  that 
are  not  surpassed  by  similar  writing.  He  received  hon 
orary  degrees  from  Harvard  and  Yale,  from  Oxford  and 
St.  Andrews,  and  was  made  a  fellow  of  the  Royal  So 
ciety,  which  awarded  him  the  Copley  gold  medal  for  im 
proving  natural  knowledge.  He  was  one  of  the  eight 
foreign  associates  of  the  French  Academy  of  Science,  an 
honor  which  he  has  shared  with  only  one  other  American. 

Franklin's  life  falls  naturally  into  three  parts;  his  early 
years  in  Boston,  his  business  and  scientific  career  in  Phil 
adelphia,  and  his  political  career  at  home  and  abroad. 

It  is  a  strange  coincidence  that  the  sturdy,  democratic 
blacksmiths  from  whom  Franklin  was  descended,  lived 
for  at  least  two  hundred  years  at  Ecton  in  Northamp 
tonshire,  England,  only  twelve  miles  from  the  manor 
house  of  Washington's  aristocratic  ancestors  at  Sulgrave. 
One  of  Franklin's  latest  biographers  notes  that  "  the 
pink-coated  huntsmen  of  the  Washington  family  may  often 
have  stopped  in  Ecton  to  have  their  horses  shod  by  the 
leather-aproned  Franklins  at  the  forge." 


x  Introduction 

Benjamin  Franklin  was  born  opposite  the  old  South 
Church  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  on  January  17,  1706. 
From  his  father  he  inherited  his  marked  business  capacity; 
and  from  his  mother,  a  descendant  of  a  progressive  New 
England  family,  his  fine  physique  and  liberal  mind.  Af 
ter  a  brief  schooling,  which  ended  when  he  was  only  ten 
years  old,  he  began  his  career  humbly  in  the  tallow- 
chandler  shop  of  his  father.  A  little  later  he  was  appren 
ticed  to  his  brother,  James,  a  printer  and  editor  of  a 
newspaper. 

Young  Franklin  had  already  begun  that  eager  and  care 
ful  reading  which  was  to  fortify  him  for  his  life  work 
better  than  a  school  or  college  education  could  have  done. 
In  the  New  England  libraries  and  book-shops,  almost  bar 
ren  of  reading  matter  except  treatises  on  religious  subjects, 
which  had  little  or  no  claim  to  be  called  literature,  Frank 
lin  managed  to  get  hold  of  Plutarch's  Lives,  some  of  De 
foe's  writings,  Bunyan's  Pilgrims  Progress  —  which  the 
boy  read  and  re-read  —  and  a  volume  of  Addison's  Spec 
tator.  The  witty,  graceful,  worldly-wise  style  of  Ad- 
dison  appealed  to  Franklin,  and  he  imitated  it  with  pa 
tient  zeal,  thus  laying  the  foundation  for  his  own  style. 
He  soon  put  his  new  accomplishment  to  the  test  by  contrib 
uting  to  his  brother's  paper  a  series  of  letters  signed  by 
"  Silence  Dogood."  These  Dogood  papers  were  a  pal 
pable  imitation  of  Addison,  but  they  were  so  fair  an  imi 
tation  as  to  give  Franklin  a  start  in  journalism.  As  a 
result  of  these  contributions  young  Franklin  soon  came  to 
manage  the  paper.  However,  the  two  brothers  could  not 
agree;  and  Benjamin  finally  declared  himself  free  and 
sailed  away  from  the  Puritan  town,  which  was  too  nar 
row  and  strict  for  his  rapidly  developing  tendency  to  free- 
thinking. 

After  an  interesting  journey,  Franklin  landed  in  Phil 
adelphia  on  an  October  Sunday  in  1723.  His  awkward 


Franklin's  Career  xi 

appearance  as  he  walked  up  Market  Street,  and  the 
amusement  it  afforded  his  future  wife,  is  one  of  the  fa 
miliar  pictures  of  the  Autobiography. 

The  period  which  now  began  (1723-1756)  saw  the 
struggle  of  the  young  printer  to  secure  a  foothold  in  the 
world,  and  his  gradual  rise  to  independence,  wealth,  and 
eminence  as  a  scientist  and  man  of  affairs.  During  this 
time  Franklin  laid  the  foundation  for  his  later  reputation 
by  many  of  the  most  remarkable  of  his  achievements. 

At  this  time,  Franklin  had  no  strong  religious  principle 
of  morals.  He  was  a  free-thinker  and  even  wrote  a  pam 
phlet,  while  spending  a  year  in  London,  to  prove  that 
man  is  no  better  than  the  brutes  —  that  there  is  no  future 
life  and  no  religion.  Of  these  early  irregularities  or 
"  errata,"  as  he  calls  them,  he  was  later  heartily  ashamed, 
and  he  made  amends  for  them  as  far  as  he  could  by  pre 
cept  and  practice.  While  he  never  professed  any  partic 
ular  form  of  the  Christian  faith;  he  taught  and  practiced 
consistently  the  fundamental  principles  of  Christianity. 
~  TranHirf  soon  settled  down  in  his  adopted  city  to  the 
steady  occupation  of  printer.  By  enterprise,  shrewdness 
and  common  sense,  he  developed  the  character,  the  key 
note  of  which  is  cleverly  expressed  in  a  comparison  made 
by  Mr.  Brander  Matthews  between  Emerson's  teachings 
and  Franklin's.  "  Emerson,"  says  Mr.  Matthews,  "  ex 
horts  you  '  to  hitch  your  wagon  to  a  star,'  Franklin  is  ready 
with  an  improved  axle-grease  for  the  wheels."  Frank 
lin's  ideals  were  circumscribed  by  the  practicable.  His 
virtues  did  not  find  their  reward  in  themselves  but  in 
tangible  benefits.  If  he  was  honest  it  was  not  because  of 
the  commandment  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal,"  but  because 
"  honesty  is  the  best  policy."  He  found  by  experience  that 
the  way  to  health,  wealth,  and  happiness  lay  in  obeying 
the  commandment  of  God  to  live  a  virtuous  life. 

He  wrote  a  clear  argument  in  favor  of  paper  money 


xii  Introduction 

and  then  secured  the  printing  of  the  large  issue  that  fol 
lowed  as  a  result  of  his  pamphlet.  He  contributed  a 
series  of  breezy  papers  to  the  Mercury  signed  "  The 
Busybody,"  in  order  to  destroy  a  rival  newspaper  that 
had  unfairly  forestalled  his  own  scheme  to  start  a  paper 
in  opposition  to  the  Mercury.  When  his  plan  suc 
ceeded,  he  bought  the  defeated  rival's  publication  at  his 
own  price  and  set  up  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette^  which 
soon  became  the  most  popular  newspaper  in  the  colonies. 
To  the  Gazette,  Franklin  contributed  for  almost  twenty 
years,  his  writings  ranging  all  the  way  from  stories  of  his 
own  mishaps  or  bits  of  foolish  pleasantry  to  moral  and  po 
litical  essays.  Most  of  the  reforms  he  brought  about 
were  first  suggested  in  letters  to  the  paper  signed  by  some 
fictitious  name.  Franklin  would  then  carry  on  with  him 
self  a  lively  discussion  for  and  against  the  proposed  change. 
Thus  the  Council  or  Assembly  would  soon  have  the  mat 
ter  under  advisement  and  the  reform  would  be  secured. 
He  obtained  the  public  printing,  bought  out  his  partner, 
and  became  the  chief  printer  in  the  province. 

He  soon  added  to  his  fame  as  well  as  to  his  wealth  by 
Poor  Richard's  Almanac,  the  most  successful  and  widely 
influential  of  his  publications.  For  the  twenty-five  years 
of  its  existence  it  had  an  annual  sale  of  10,000  copies. 
Its  homely  wit  and  wisdom,  its  shrewd  maxims,  its  worldly 
honesty,  not  only  became  a  great  force  in  shaping  Ameri 
can  national  character,  but  the  little  book  was  translated 
into  many  languages  and  proved  a  guide  and  teacher  to 
no  small  part  of  humanity.  Having  thus  acquired  a 
fortune,  Franklin  now  retired  from  'business  at  the  age  of 
forty-two,  in  order  that  he  might  devote  his  entire  time 
to  the  scientific  studies  in  which  he  had  already  become 
interested. 

Franklin's  success  in  practical  affairs  brought  him  at 
tention  and  influence.  He  was  public-spirited  and  soon 


Franklin's  Career  xiii 

became  a  leader  in  the  community,  which  he  greatly  bene 
fited  by  his  genius  and  practical  wisdom.  He  started 
and  urged  forward  scheme  after  scheme  of  social  and  pub 
lic  improvement;  among  others,  a  circulating  library,  the 
Union  Fire  Company,  a  plan  for  defending  the  city  and 
province,  the  Philadelphia  Academy,  which  developed  later 
into  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  a  hospital,  and  a  sys 
tem  of  cleaning  and  lighting  the  streets.  He  also  in 
vented  the  Franklin  stove,  which  marks  the  beginning 
of  the  great  American  stove  industry. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  employments  Franklin  found 
time  to  indulge  his  fondness  for  experiments  in  science. 
Here  again  his  philosophy  was  the  philosophy  of  the  use 
ful.  He  pursued  scientific  studies  only  to  make  life  safer 
or  easier  for  mankind.  He  became  deeply  engrossed 
in  the  study  of  electricity,  but  his  experiments  aimed  to 
demonstrate  the  practical  application  of  the  newly  discov 
ered  energy,  or  the  means  of  protecting  property  and  life 
from  the  effects  of  its  destructive  power  as  displayed  in 
lightning.  He  wrote  numerous  letters  explaining  his  ex 
periments,  many  of  which  were  published  in  magazines  and 
pamphlets.  The  most  important  of  these  publications  was 
Opinions  and  Conjectures,  containing  the  paragraph  on 
the  uses  of  the  lightning-rod.  This  pamphlet,  published 
in  England  and  France,  and  later  printed  in  German, 
Latin,  and  Italian,  created  a  great  sensation  among  the 
leading  scientists  of  the  world,  and  led  to  the  famous  kite 
experiment  of  Franklin  himself,  by  which  he  proved  that 
lightning  and  electricity  are  the  same.  He  was  now  made 
a  member  of  the  Royal  Society  and  honored  with  the 
Copley  medal.  His  fame  in  the  scientific  world  was  due 
almost  as  much  to  his  modest,  simple,  and  sincere  manner 
of  presenting  his  discoveries  and  to  the  precision  and  clear 
ness  of  the  style  in  which  he  described  his  experiments,  as 
to  the  results  he  was  able  to  announce.  Sir  Humphrey 


xiv  Introduction 

Davy,  the  celebrated  English  chemist,  himself  an  ex 
cellent  literary  critic  as  well  as  a  great  scientist,  said:  "  A 
singular  felicity  guided  all  Franklin's  researches,  and  by 
very  small  means  he  established  very  grand  truths.  The 
style  and  manner  of  his  publication  on  electricity  are 
almost  as  worthy  of  admiration  as  the  doctrine  it  con 
tains." 

Science  was  always  a  diversion  with  Franklin,  sharing 
with  politics  his  interest  and  spare  time.  He  was  early 
elected  to  various  offices  in  the  city  and  province,  and  was 
finally  made  joint  Postmaster-General  of  the  colonies. 
He  reformed  the  entire  postal  service  of  the  country  and 
made  it  pay.  He  drew  up  for  the  colonies  the  details  of 
the  Albany  Plan  of  Union,  which  he  adapted  from  an  ear 
lier  plan.  This  was  one  of  the  first  practical  applications 
of  the  national  idea  later  embodied  in  the  Articles  of  Con 
federation  and  the  Constitution.  He  secured  the  trans 
portation  for  Braddock's  ill-fated  army  through  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  advanced  the  money  to  pay  for  the  horses  and 
wagons,  most  of  which  were  destroyed  in  the  battle  and 
rout.  For  this  outlay  he  was  never  wholly  repaid. 

This  is  only  one  of  many  illustrations  of  the  patriot 
ism  and  liberality  of  Franklin.  His  shrewdness  never 
degenerated  into  meanness  or  sordidness.  He  was  care 
ful  always,  but  generous  and  humane.  No  man  was  less 
sparing  of  himself  or  of  his  means  when  an  individual  or 
a  cause  that  he  had  an  interest  in,  needed  help.  When  a 
young  printer  in  London,  he  loaned  his  money  freely  to  his 
friends.  He  advanced  nearly  his  entire  fortune  to  pay 
for  the  transportation  of  Braddock's  army,  and  before 
leaving  for  France  he  loaned  Congress  all  the  ready  money 
he  could  get  together. 

In  1757  Franklin  entered  upon  the  diplomatic  and  po 
litical  career  which  was  to  engage  most  of  his  attention 


Franklin's  Career  XV 

until  the  end  of  his  life.  For  eighteen  years  he  was  al 
most  continuously  in  England;  first,  as  representative  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  controversy  between  that  province  and 
the  proprietors;  and  second,  as  agent  of  Pennsylvania  and 
several  other  colonies  in  opposing  the  Parliamentary  taxa 
tion  of  America  that  led  to  the  Revolution.  He  won  his 
first  diplomatic  victory  when  he  succeeded  in  establishing 
the  right  of  the  Pennsylvania  Assembly  to  tax  the  estates 
of  the  proprietors.  He  was  the  ablest  of  all  the  American 
advocates  of  the  principle  of  "  no  taxation  without  repre 
sentation."  His  famous  contemporary,  Dr.  Samuel  John 
son,  who  was  by  nature  a  lover  of  liberty,  but  by  his 
prejudices  an  ardent  Tory,  called  Franklin,  "  the  master  of 
mischief."  During  all  the  period  of  agitation  preceding 
the  Revolution,  he  was  conservative,  hoping  to  the  end 
for  a  compromise  that  might  prevent  the  separation  of  Eng 
land  and  the  colonies.  He  even  incurred  the  temporary 
hostility  of  his  country  by  advocating  the  acceptance  of 
the  Stamp  Act,  after  he  had  exhausted  every  means  at 
his  command  to  prevent  its  passage.  His  vigorous  and 
effective  opposition  to  the  various  measures  of  Parliament 
for  the  taxation  and  coercion  of  the  Americans  finally 
made  him  so  unpopular  with  the  British  government  that 
he  felt  his  usefulness  in  England  to  be  at  an  end,  and  so 
sailed  for  home  in  1775.  Finding  on  his  arrival  that  the 
die  had  already  been  cast  by  the  conflicts  at  Lexington  and 
Concord,  he  threw  himself  heart  and  soul  into  the  strug 
gle  for  independence. 

Much  of  Franklin's  work  for  the  colonies  as  their 
agent  in  England  was  accomplished  by  his  writings. 
When  he  first  went  to  London  he  wrote  a  letter,  which 
attracted  considerable  attention  at  the  time,  satirizing  the 
party  that  wished  to  make  peace  with  France ;  and  he  was 
the  principal  author  of  the  pamphlet  that  argued  success^ 


xvi  Introduction 

fully  for  the  retention  of  Canada  at  the  close  of  the  French 
and  Indian  wars.  Between  1765  and  1775  he  wrote 
some  thirty  articles  attacking  the  government's  attitude 
toward  America.  Two  of  these  were  satires  in  his  best 
vein.  One  he  called  Rules  by  which  a  Great  Empire  May 
Be  Reduced  To  a  Small  One.  He  addressed  some  twenty 
rules  to  all  ministers  charged  with  the  management  of 
dominions  so  extensive  as  to  be  troublesome  to  govern, 
and  advocated  as  the  best  means  of  reducing  such  an  em 
pire,  the  line  of  conduct  England  was  pursuing  with  Amer 
ica.  The  other  satire  he  named  An  Edict  of  the  King 
of  Prussia.  It  purported  to  be  a  decree  of  the  King  of 
Prussia  declaring  that  England  was  a  colony  of  Prussia, 
that  the  island  had  been  originally  settled  by  emigrants 
from  Germany  under  Hengist,  Horsa,  and  Hella,  that 
it  had  flourished  for  ages  under  Prussian  tutelage,  and  that 
only  recently  the  King  of  Prussia  had  been  compelled  to 
assist  his  British  subjects  against  France.  The  edict 
added  that  the  English  colony  for  years  had  not  contrib 
uted  properly  to  the  expense  incurred  in  its  defense. 
Therefore  it  was  decreed  that  taxes  and  commercial  re 
strictions  should  be  laid  on  all  English  exports  and  im 
ports.  The  decree  went  on  to  describe  in  detail  measures 
exactly  similar  to  those  of  which  the  Americans  were  com 
plaining. 

The  success  of  these  pieces  was  great.  Franklin  re 
lates  that  he  was  one  of  a  group  of  public  men  visiting 
at  a  country  house  when  the  newspaper  containing  the 
Edict  was  received.  One  of  the  gentlemen,  who  usually 
looked  over  the  mail  early,  came  running  into  the  room 
where  the  others  sat,  and  shouted,  "  Here!  here's  news  for 
ye!  Here's  the  King  of  Prussia  claiming  a  right  to  this 
kingdom  1 "  An  excited  discussion  followed.  One  of 
the  group  said  he  had  no  doubt  Frederic  was  even  then 


Franklin's  Career  xvii 

on  his  way  with  a  hundred  thousand  men  to  make  good 
his  proclamation.  It  was  not  for  some  minutes  that  any 
one  saw  through  the  jest. 

This  was  not  the  only  time  that  Franklin's  humor 
proved  too  subtle  for  great  minds.  Later  in  life  he  wrote 
a  Biblical  paraphrase  that  deceived  at  least  one  eminent 
scholar.  Pretending  to  think  that  he  could  improve  on 
the  language  and  style  of  the  King  James'  version  of  the 
Bible,  he  parodied  a  part  of  the  first  chapter  of  Job, 
making  it  a  satire  on  monarchical  government.  No  less 
skilled  a  critic  than  Matthew  Arnold  was  so  deceived 
by  this  clever  bit  of  irony  that  he  wrote  of  his  relief  at 
finding  Franklin's  usual  common  sense  so  far  deserting 
him  as  to  make  him  think  he  could  improve  on  the  match 
less  style  of  the  standard  version  of  the  Bible  story. 

Perhaps  the  best  illustration,  however,  of  Franklin's 
skilful  use  of  satire  as  a  weapon  is  a  letter  that  he  had 
printed  purporting  to  be  written  by  a  petty  German  prince 
to  the  commander  of  the  troops  he  had  sold  to  England 
for  the  war  against  the  Americans.  Franklin  makes  the 
writer  say  in  part: 

"  I  am  about  to  send  you  some  new  recruits.  Don't 
economize  them.  .  .  .  You  did  right  to  send  back  to 
i  Europe  that  Dr.  Crumerus,  who  was  so  successful  in 
curing  dysentery.  That  disease  makes  bad  soldiers.  One 
coward  will  do  more  mischief  in  an  engagement  than  two 
brave  men  will  do  good.  Besides,  you  know  that  they 
pay  me  as  killed  for  all  who  die  from  disease,  and  I  don't 
get  a  farthing  for  runaways.  My  trip  to  Italy,  which  has 
cost  me  enormously,  makes  it  desirable  that  there  should 
be  a  'great  mortality  among  them.  .  .  .  You  will  say 
to  Major  Maundorfr"  that  I  am  not  at  all  content  with 
his  saving  345  men,  who  escaped  the  massacre  at  Trenton. 
Through  the  whole  campaign  he  has  not  had  ten  men 


xviii  Introduction 

killed  in  consequence  of  his  orders.  Finally,  let  it  be  your 
principal  object  to  prolong  the  war  and  avoid  a  decisive 
engagement  on  either  side,  for  I  have  made  arrangements 
for  a  grand  Italian  opera,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  be  obliged 
to  give  it  up." 

After  serving  on  the  committee  to  draw  up  the  Declar 
ation  of  Independence  and  on  several  important  com 
missions,  Franklin  was  chosen,  in  1776,  as  one  of  three 
commissioners  to  secure  the  support  of  the  French  govern 
ment  for  the  American  cause.  Already  a  member  of 
every  important  learned  society  of  Europe,  Franklin  was 
received  in  Paris  as  one  of  the  very  greatest  men  of  the 
age.  His  simplicity  of  dress  and  manner,  his  supreme 
good  taste  and  apparent  humility,  won  the  friendship  of 
the  French  nobility  for  the  cause  of  liberty.  To  the 
people  he  was  the  apostle  of  freedom  and  its  exemplar. 
They  named  him  Bonhomme  Richard.  His  maxims  of 
Poor  Richard,  published  under  the  title  of  The  Way  to 
Wealth,  became  a  text-book  for  the  French  schools. 
When  he  appeared  on  the  streets  of  Paris,  "  his  dress,  his 
wigless  head,  his  spectacles,  his  walking-stick,  and  his  great 
fur  cap,"  became  at  once  the  center  of  attraction.  Crowds 
followed  him,  and  his  appearance  in  public  places  was 
greeted  with  applause.  Franklin  wrote  to  his  daughter 
that  so  many  pictures,  busts,  and  prints  of  him  had  been 
spread  abroad  as  to  make  her  "  father's  face  as  well 
known  as  the  moon,  so  that  he  durst  not  do  anything  that 
would  oblige  him  to  run  away,  as  his  phiz  would  dis 
cover  him  wherever  he  should  venture  to  show  it." 

Franklin  had  the  wisdom  to  make  the  most  of  this 
personal  popularity  for  the  interest  of  his  country.  He 
took  up  his  residence  in  Passy,  a  quiet  suburb  of  Paris 
in  the  house  of  a  French  gentleman,  through  whose  in 
fluence  at  court  he  was  able  to  communicate  with  the 


Franklin's  Career  xix 

French  ministers,  without  embarrassment  to  their  gov 
ernment.  At  this  house  he  received  the  great  men  of 
Paris,  and  from  it  he  returned  their  calls  and  made  the 
famous  social  visits  that  increased  his  renown  and  popu 
larity.  He  thus  created  in  all  classes  of  the  French  people 
such  enthusiasm  for  the  American  cause  that  when  the 
news  of  the  victories  of  Trenton  and  Saratoga  reached 
Paris,  the  government  could  no  longer  resist  the  popular 
demand  for  active  assistance  to  the  rebels.  Louis  XVI 
recognized  the  independence  of  the  colonies,  signed  a 
treaty  of  alliance,  and  officially  received  the  American 
envoys. 

This  was  only  a  part  of  the  service  that  Franklin  ren 
dered  the  cause  of  the  colonies  at  this  time.  As  Ameri 
can  agent  in  Paris  and  later  as  our  first  minister  to  the 
court  of  France,  he  succeeded  in  borrowing  the  large 
sums  of  money  that  formed  the  most  important  source  of 
income  to  the  Revolutionary  government.  It  is  a  re 
markable  fact  that  this  money  was  obtained  from  a  bank 
rupt  government  against  the  strong  protests  of  its  able 
minister  of  finance. 

These  diplomatic  successes  were  due  largely  to  Frank 
lin's  personality  and  character.  Like  his  contemporary, 
Dr.  Johnson,  Franklin  was  a  keen  observer.  He  knew 
men  and  affairs  thoroughly.  He  had,  too,  a  fine  sense  of 
the  fitness  of  things,  absolute  good  taste,  and  an  invincible 
self-control,  which  neither  obstinacy,  nor  stupidity,  nor 
duplicity,  nor  wearisome  delay,  could  ever  break  down. 
He  never  irritated  the  French  government  by  pressing 
his  cause  unduly.  He  never  antagonized  as  did  John 
Adams.  Vergennes,  the  French  minister,  spoke  of  his 
conduct  as  wise  and  circumspect,  as  well  as  zealous  and 
patriotic,  and  added  that  Franklin's  success  \vas  largely 
due  to  the  perfect  confidence  of  the  French  people  in  his 


xx  Introduction 

veracity.  To  these  qualities  of  the  successful  diplomat 
must  be  added  his  optimism  and  cheerfulness,  which  were 
so  contagious  as  to  keep  all  about  him  in  good  spirits. 

In  spite  of  his  many  official  duties  in  Paris,  Franklin 
still  found  time  to  indulge  his  love  of  social  pleasure.  In 
order  to  amuse  the  delighted  circle  of  which  he  had  be 
come  the  center,  he  wrote  his  famous  Bagatelles,  or  essays 
in  a  light  vein.  The  most  notable  are  The  Story  of  the 
Whistle,  The  Ephemera,  A  Petition  of  the  Left  Hand  (a 
plea  for  teaching  children  to  use  both  hands  with  equal 
facility),  The  Morals  of  Chess,  and  the  famous  Dia 
logue  between  Franklin  and  the  Gout. 

Franklin  was  now  seventy-five  years  old ;  and  he  sent 
an  appealing  letter  to  Congress  asking  permission  to  give 
up  the  duties  of  his  office,  which,  by  reason  of  ill-health 
and  old  age,  had  become  a  greater  'burden  than  he  felt 
he  ought  to  bear.  But  his  pleading  was  in  vain,  and  he 
remained  in  Paris  another  four  years  to  play  a  principal 
part  in  negotiating  the  treaty  of  peace  with  England. 
Finally,  in  1785,  Congress  permitted  Franklin  to  come 
home,  sending  out  Jefferson  as  Minister  to  France. 
When  Count  de  Vergennes  first  met  the  new  minister  he 
said,  "  You  replace  Dr.  Franklin,  I  hear."  Jefferson  re 
plied,  "  I  succeed,  no  one  can  replace  him." 

Even  at  seventy-nine  Franklin  was  not,  however,  to 
find  the  rest  for  which  he  longed.  He  had  hardly  done 
receiving  the  congratulations  and  thanks  of  his  country 
men  on  his  return  home,  when  he  was  elected  Chairman 
of  the  Council  of  Philadelphia  and  later  President  of 
Pennsylvania.  He  wrote  an  old  friend  that  he  was  again 
harnessed  to  the  service  of  his  countrymen.  "  They  en 
grossed  the  prime  of  my  life.  They  have  eaten  my  Mesh, 
and  seem  resolved  now  to  pick  my  bones."  He  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  convention  to  frame  the  Consti- 


Franklin's  Career  xxi 

tutlon,  and  to  his  influence  and  Washington's  was  largely 
due  the  final  adoption  of  the  Constitution.  "  It  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  to  Franklin,  perhaps  more  than  to  any 
other  one  man,  the  present  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  owes  most  of  those  features  which  have  given  it 
durability  and  have  made  it  the  ideal  by  which  all  other 
systems  of  government  are  tested  by  Americans."  1 

During  all  this  time  Franklin's  pen  continued  active. 
He  wrote  on  the  abolition  of  slavery,  of  which  he  was 
one  of  the  first  advocates ;  satires  on  the  "  liberty  of  the 
press,"  which  had  degenerated  into  slander;  and  on  the 
British  demands  for  the  payment  of  American  debts. 
His  last  writing,  a  satirical  answer  to  a  pro-slavery  speech 
in  Congress,  was  in  his  best  style,  and  is  thought  to  be  as 
good  as  the  pleasantries  of  Swift. 

Soon  afterwards,  on  April  17,  1790,  he  died  quietly  at 
his  home,  and  was  buried  beside  his  wife  in  the  graveyard 
of  Christ  Church,  Philadelphia.  The  mourning  for  his 
death  was  general.  The  Members  of  Congress  wore 
black  badges  for  thirty  days.  The  French  National  As 
sembly  also  put  on  mourning  and  many  eulogies  were  de 
livered  in  his  memory.  His  service  may  be  summed  up 
by  Turgot's  famous  adaptation  of  the  Latin  motto  uni 
versally  applied  to  Franklin  at  the  time. 

"  He  snatched  the  lightning  from  the  heavens  and  the  scep 
ter  from  the  tyrant's  hand." 

Franklin's  place  in  literature  is  hard  to  determine  be 
cause  he  was  not  primarily  a  literary  man.  His  aim  in 
his  writings  as  in  his  life  work  was  to  be  helpful  to  his 
fellowmen.  For  him  writing  was  never  an  end  in  itself, 
but  always  a  means  to  an  end.  Yet  his  success  as  a 
scientist,  a  statesman,  and  a  diplomat,  as  well  as  socially, 

1  Bigelow,  The  Life  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  Vol.  Ill,   p.   383. 


xxii  Introduction 

was  in  no  little  part  due  to  his  ability  as  a  writer.  "  His 
letters  charmed  all,  and  made  his  correspondence  eagerly 
sought.  His  political  arguments  were  the  joy  of  his 
party  and  the  dread  of  his  opponents.  His  scientific  dis 
coveries  were  explained  in  language  at  once  so  simple  and 
so  clear  chat  plow-boy  and  exquisite  could  follow  his 
thought  or  his  experiment  to  its  conclusion."  1 

As  far  as  American  literature  is  concerned,  Franklin 
had  no  contemporaries.  Before  the  Autobiography  only 
one  literary  work  of  importance  had  been  produced  in 
this  country  —  Cotton  Mather's  Magnalia,  a  church  his 
tory  of  New  England  in  a  ponderous,  stiff  style.  Frank 
lin  was  the  first  American  author  to  gain  a  wride  and  per 
manent  reputation  in  Europe.  The  Autobiography,  Poor 
Richard,  Father  Abraham's  Speech  or  The  Way  to 
Wealth,  as  well  as  some  of  the  Bagatelles,  are  as  widely 
known  abroad  as  any  American  writings.  Franklin  must 
also  be  classed  as  the  first  American  humorist. 

English  literature  of  the  eighteenth  century  was  char 
acterized  by  the  development  of  prose.  Periodical  lit 
erature  reached  its  perfection  early  in  the  century  in  The 
Tatler  and  The  Spectator  of  Addison  and  Steele.  Pam 
phleteers  flourished  throughout  the  period.  The  home 
lier  prose  of  Bunyan  and  Defoe  gradually  gave  place  to 
the  more  elegant  and  artificial  language  of  Samuel  John 
son,  who  set  the  standard  for  prose  writing  from  1745 
onward.  This  century  saw  the  beginnings  of  the  modern 
novel,  in  Fielding's  Tom  Jones,  Richardson's  Clarissa 
Harlowe,  Sterne's  Tristram  Shandy,  and  Goldsmith's 
Vicar  of  Wakefield.  Gibbon  wrote  The  Decline  and  Fall 
of  the  Roman  Empire,  Hume  his  History  of  England,  and 
Adam  Smith  the  Wealth  of  Nations. 

In  the  simplicity  and  vigor  of  his  style  Franklin  more 

1  The  Many-Sided  Franklin.— Paul   L.   Ford. 


Franklin's  Career  xxiii 

nearly  resembles  the  earlier  group  of  writers.  In  his 
first  essays  he  was  not  an  inferior  imitator  of  Addison. 
In  his  numerous  parables,  moral  allegories,  and  apologues 
he  showed  Bunyan's  influence.  But  Franklin  was  essen 
tially  a  journalist.  In  his  swift  terse  style,  he  is  most  like 
Defoe,  who  was  the  first  great  English  journalist  and  mas-^ 
ter  of  the  newspaper  narrative.  The  style  of  both  writers 
is  marked  by  homely,  vigorous  expression,  satire,  bur 
lesque,  repartee.  Here  the  comparison  must  end.  Defoe 
and  his  contemporaries  were  authors.  Their  vocation  was 
writing  and  their  success  rests  on  the  imaginative  or  crea 
tive  power  they  displayed.  To  authorship  Franklin  laid 
no  claim.  He  wrote  no  work  of  the  imagination.  He 
developed  only  incidentally  a  style  in  many  respects  as  re 
markable  as  that  of  his  English  contemporaries.  He 
wrote  the  best  autobiography  in  existence,  one  of  the 
most  widely  known  collections  of  maxims,  and  an  unsur 
passed  series  of  political  and  social  satires,  because  he  was 
a  man  of  unusual  scope  of  power  and  usefulness,  who 
knew  how  to  tell  his  fellowmen  the  secrets  of  that  power 
and  that  usefulness. 

II 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

'The  Autobiography  is  FranklinlsJongesLwpri^arid  yet 
it  is  only  a  fragment  The  first  part,  written  as  a  letter 
to  his  sonT  William  FranMia^was  not  intended  io,r..mib- 
lipatinn  •  and  the_composition  is  more  informal  and  the 
narrative  more  personal  than  in  the_second  part,  from 
1730  on,  which  was  written  with  a  view  "to  publication. 
The  entire  manuscript  shows  little  eviden£e_.flf ^igyisioiu. 

In  fact  the  expression  is  so  homely  and  natural  that  his 

r "  — -~ — -j 


xxiv  Introduction 

grandson,  William  Temple  Franklin,  in  editing  the  work 
changed  some  of  the  phrases  because  he  thpu^ht  them  in- 
elegant  and  vulgar. 

Franklin  began  the  story  of  his  life  while  on  a  visit 
to  his  friend,  Bishop  Shipley,  at  Twyford,  in  Hampshire. 
southern  England,  in  ..1771.  He  took  the  manuscript, 
completed  to  1731,  with  him  when  he  returned  to  Phila 
delphia  in  1775.  It  was  left  there  with  his  other  papers 
when  he  went  to  France  in  the  following  year,  and  dis 
appeared  during  the  confusion  incident  to  the  Revolution. 
Twenty-three  pages  of  closely  written  manuscript  fell 
into  the  hands  of  Abel  James,  an  old  friend,  who  sent  a 
copy  to  Franklin  at  Passy,  near  Paris,  urging  him  to  com 
plete  the  story.  Franklin  took  up  the  work  at  Passy  in 
1784  and  carried  the  narrative  forward  a  few  months. 
He  changed  the  plan  to  meet  his  new  purpose  of  writing 
to  benefit  the  young  readej\  His  work  was  soon  inter 
rupted  and  was  not  resumed  until  1788,  when  he  was  at 
home  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  now  old,  infirm,  and 
suffering  anj  was  still  en^ap;pd  jp 


these  discouraging  conditions  the  work  progressed 
It  finally  stopped  when  the  narrative  reached  the  year 
J757-  Copies  of  the  manuscript  were  sent  to  friends  of 
Franklin  in  England  and  France,  among  others  to  Mon 
sieur  Le  Veillard  at  Paris. 

The  first  edition  of  the  Autobiography  was  published 
in  French  at  Paris  in  1791.  It  was  clumsily  and  care 
lessly  translated,  and  was  imperfect  and  unfinished. 
Where  the  translator  got  the  manuscript  is  not  known. 
Le  Veillard  disclaimed  any  knowledge  of  the  publication. 
From  this  faulty  French  edition  many  others  were  printed, 
some  in  Germany,  two  in  England,  and  another  in  France, 
so  great  was  the  demand  for  the  work. 

In  the  meantime  the  original  manuscript  of  the  Auto- 


Autobiography  xxv 

biography  had  started  on  a  varied  and  adventurous  career. 
It  was  left  by  Franklin  with  his  other  works  to  his  grand 
son,  William  Temple  Franklin,  whom  Franklin  desig 
nated  as  his  literary  executor.  When  Temple  Franklin 
came  to  publish  his  grandfather's  works  in  1817,  he  sent 
the  original  manuscript  of  the  Autobiography  to  the 
daughter  of  Le  Veillard  in  exchange  for  her  father's  copy, 
probably  thinking  the  clearer  transcript  would  make  better 
printer's  copy.  The  original  ^manuscript  thus  found  its 
way  to  the  Le  Veillard  family  and  connections,  where  it 
remained  until  sold  in  1867  to  Mr.  John  Bigelow,  United 
States  Minister  to  France.  It  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  E. 
B.  Church  of  New  York. 

When  Mr.  Bigelow  came  to  examine  his  purchase,^  he 
was  astonished  to  find  that  what  people  had  been  reading 
for  years  as  the  authentic  Life  of  Benjamin  Franklin  by 
Himself,  was  only  a  garbled  and  incomplete  version  of 
the  real  Autobiography.  Temple  Franklin  had  taken  un 
warranted  liberties  with  the  original.  Mr.  Bigelow  says 
he  found  more  than  twelve  hundred  changes  in  the  text. 
In  1868,  therefore,  Mr.  Bigelow  published  the  stand 
ard  edition  of  Franklin's  Autobiography.  It  corrected 
errors  in  the  previous  editions  and  was  the  first^  English 
edition  to  contain  the  short  fourth  part,  comprising  the 
last  few  pages  of  the  manuscript,  written  during  the  last 
year  of  Franklin's  life.  Mr.  Bigelow  republished  the 
Autobiography,  with  additional  interesting  matter,  in 
three  volumes  in  1875,  in  1905,  and  in  1910.  The  text 
in  this  volume  is  substantially  that  of  Mr.  Bigelow  s 

editions.  . 

The  Autobiography  has  been  reprinted  in  ^the  United 
States  many  scores  of  times  and  translated  into  all  the 
languages  of  Europe.  It  has  never  lost  its  popularity  and 
is  still  in  constant  demand  at  circulating  libraries.  The 


xxvi  Introduction 

reason  for  this  popularity  is  not  far  to  seek.  For  in 
this  work  Franklin  told  in  a  remarkable  manner  the 
story  of  a  remarkable  life.  He  displayed  hard  common 
sense  and  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  art  of  living.  He 
selected  and  arranged  his  material,  perhaps  unconsciously, 
with  the  unerring  instinct  of  the  journalist  for  the  best 
effects.  His  success  is  not  a  little  due  to  his  plain,  clear, 
vigorous  English.  He  used  short  sentences  and_worjs, 
homely  expressbn_sL  ant  illustrations,  and  Dointedjallu- 
sjonj-u  —  Ffanklin  had  one  of  the  most  interesting,  varied 
and  unusual  lives  of  any  American.  He 


greatest  conversationalists-  of  -his  4Jme;  His  book  is  the 
record  of  that  unusual  life  told  in  Franklin's  own  unex 
celled  conversational  style.  It  is  said  that  the  best  parts 
of  Boswell's  famous  biography  of  Samuel  Johnson  are 
those  parts  where  Boswell  permits  Johnson  to  tell  his  own 
story.  In  the  Autobiography  a  no  less  remarkable  man 
and  talker  than  Samuel  Johnson  is  telling  his  own  story 
throughout. 


DESCRIPTIVE  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

THE  last  and  most  complete  edition  of  Franklin's  works 
is  that  by  the  late  Professor  Albert  H.  Smyth,  published 
in  ten  volumes  by  the  Macmillan  Company,  New  York, 
under  the  title,  The  Writings  of  Benjamin  Franklin. 
The  other  standard  edition  is  the  Works  of  Benjamin 
Franklin  by  John  Bigelow  (New  York,  1887).  The7 
standard  edition  of  the  Autobiography  is  John  Bigelow's 
fifth  edition  of  The  Life  of  Benja?nin  Franklin  Written 
by  Himself,  three  volumes,  published  by  the  J.  B.  Lip- 
pincott  Company  of  Philadelphia,  in  1905.  Mr.  Bige 
low's  first  edition  of  the  Autobiography  in  one  volume 
was  published  by  the  same  company  in  1868.  The  life 
of  Franklin  as  a  writer  is  well  treated  by  J.  B.  McMas- 
ter  in  a  volume  of  The  American  Men  of  Letters  Series; 
his  life  as  a  statesman  and  diplomat,  by  J.  T.  Morse, 
American  Statesmen  Series,  one  volume;  Houghton,  Mif- 
flin  Company  publish  both  books.  A  more  exhaustive 
account  of  the  life  and  times  of  Franklin  may  be  found 
in  James  Parton's  Life  and  Times  of  Benjamin  Franklin 
(2  vols.,  New  York,  1864).  Paul  Leicester  Ford's  The 
Many-Sided  Franklin  is  a  most  chatty  and  readable  book, 
replete  with  anecdotes  and  excellently  and  fully  illus 
trated.  An  excellent  criticism  by  Woodrow  Wilson  in 
troduces  an  edition  of  the  Autobiography  in  The  Cen 
tury  Classics  (Century  Co.,  New  York,  1901).  Inter 
esting  magazine  articles  are  those  of  E.  E.  Hale,  Chris 
tian  Examiner,  Ixxi,  447 ;  W.  P.  Trent,  McClure's  Mag- 

xxvii 


xxviii  Descriptive  Bibliography 

azine,  viii,  273 ;  John  Hay,  The  Century  Magazine,  Ixxi, 

447- 

See  also  the  histories  of  American  literature  by  C.  F. 
Richardson,  Moses  Coit  Tyler,  Brander  Matthews,  John 
Nichol,  and  Barrett  Wendell,  as  well  as  the  various  en 
cyclopedias.  An  excellent  bibliography  of  Franklin  is 
that  of  Paul  Leicester  Ford,  entitled  A  List  of  Books 
Written  by,  or  Relating  to  Benjamin  Franklin  (New 
York,  1889). 

The  following  list  of  Franklin's  works  contains  the 
more  interesting  publications,  together  with  the  dates  of 
first  issue.  Where  the  publication  has  not  been  described 
in  the  Introduction,  a  sentence  of  explanation  is  added  to 
the  title. 

1722.     Dogood  Papers. 

1729.     The   Busybody. 

A  series  of  essays  published  in  Bradford's  Philadel 
phia  Weekly  Mercury,  six  of  which  only  are  ascribed 
to  Franklin.  They  are  essays  on  morality,  philosophy 
and  politics,  similar  to  the  Dogood  Papers. 

1729.    A   Modest  Enquiry   into   the  Nature  and  Necessity  of  & 
Paper  Currency. 

1732.    Prefaces  to   Poor  Richard's  Almanac. 
to          Among  these   are  Hints   for  those  that  would  be  Rich, 

I757-        I737>     antl   Plan    for    saving    one    hundred    thousand 
pounds  to  New  Jersey,  1756. 

1743.  A    Proposal    for    Promoting    Useful   Knowledge   Among 

the  British   Plantations  in   America. 
"This   paper    appears   to   contain    the   first   suggestion, 
in    any    public    form,    for    an    American    Philosophical 
Society."     Sparks. 

1744.  An  Account  of  the  New  Invented  Pennsylvanian  Tire- 

Places. 

1749.    Proposals  Relating  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Penn 
sylvania. 

Contains  the  plan  for  the  school  which  later  became 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

1752.    Electrical  Kite. 


Descriptive  Bibliography  xxix 

A  description  of  the  famous  kite  experiment,  first 
written  in  a  letter  to  Peter  Collinson,  dated  Oct.  19, 
1752,  which  was  published  later  in  the  same  year  in 
The  Gentleman's  Magazine. 

1754.  Plan  of  Union. 

A  plan  for  the  union  of  the  colonies  presented  to  the 
colonial  convention  at  Albany. 

1755.  A  Dialogue  Between  X,  Y  and  Z. 

An  appeal  to  enlist  in  the  provincial  army  for  the 
defense  of  Pennsylvania. 

1758.    Father  Abraham's  Speech. 

Published  as  a  preface  to  Poor  Richard's  Almanac 
and  gathering  into  one  writing  the  maxims  of  Poor 
Richard,  which  had  already  appeared  in  previous 
numbers  of  the  Almanac.  The  Speech  was  after 
wards  published  in  pamphlet  form  as  the  Way  to 
Wealth. 

1760.     Of  the  Means  of  disposing  the  Enemy  to  Peace. 

A  satirical  plea  for  the  prosecution  of  the  war  against 
France. 

1760.  The  Interest  of  Great  Britain  Considered,  with  regard 
to  her  Colonies,  and  the  Acquisitions  of  Canada  and 
Guadaloupe. 

1764.  Cool  Thoughts  on  the  Present  Situation  of  our  Public 
Affairs. 

A  pamphlet  favoring  a  Royal  Government  for  Penn 
sylvania  in  exchange  for  that  of  the  Proprietors. 

1766.  The  Examination  of  Doctor  Benjamin  Franklin,  etc.,  in 
The  British  House  of  Commons,  Relative  to  The  Re 
peal  of  The  American  Stamp  Act. 

1773.  Rules  by  which  A  Great  Empire  May  Be  Reduced  To 
a  Small  One. 

1773.    An  Edict  of  The  King  of  Prussia. 

1777.  Comparison  of  Great  Britain  and  The  United  States  in 
Regard  to  the  Basis  of  Credit  In  The  Two  Countries. 
One  of  several  similar  pamphlets  written  to  effect 
loans  for  the  American  cause. 

1782.     On  the  Theory  of  the  Earth. 

The  best  of  Franklin's  papers  on  geology. 

1782.     Letter    purporting    to    emanate    from    a    petty    German 


xxx  Descriptive  Bibliography 

Prince  and  to  be  addressed  to  his  officer  in  Command 
in  America. 

1785.  On  the  Causes  and  Cure  of  Smoky  Chimneys. 

1786.  Retort  Courteous. 
Sending  Felons  to  America. 

Answers    to    the    British    clamor    for    the    payment    of 
American  debts. 

1789.     Address  to  the  Public  from  the  Pennsylvania  Society  for 
Promoting  Abolition  of  Slavery. 

1789.  An   Account    of    the   Supremest    Court   of   Judicature   in 

Pennsylvania,  viz.  The  Court  of  the  Press. 

1790.  Martin's  Account  of  his  Consulship. 

A  parody  of  a  pro-slavery  speech  in  Congress. 

1791.  Autobiography. 

The  first  edition. 
1818.     Bagatelles. 

The   Bagatelles  were  first  published   in   1818   in  Wil 
liam   Temple    Franklin's    edition    of    his    grandfather's 
works.    The   following  are  the  most  famous  of   these 
essays  and  the  dates  when  they  were  written: 
1774?     A  Parable  Against  Persecution. 

Franklin     called     this     the     LI     Chapter     of 

Genesis. 
1774?     A  Parable  on  Brotherly  Love. 

1778.  The  Ephemera,  an  Emblem   of  Human  Life. 

A  new  rendition  of  an  earlier  essay  on  Hu 
man  Vanity. 

1779.  The  Story   of  the   Whistle. 
1779?     The  Levee. 

1779?    Proposed  New  Version  of  the  Bible. 

Part  of  the   first  chapter  of  Job  modernized 
(1779.     Published)     The    Morals    of    Chess. 
1780?     The   Handsome   and   Deformed  Leg. 

1780.  Dialogue   between   Franklin   and  the    Gout. 

(Published   in    1802.) 
1802.     A  Petition   of  the  Left  Hand. 
1806.     The  Art  of  Procuring  Pleasant  Dreams. 


FRANKLIN'S  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YOUTH  IN  BOSTON 

TWYFORD,  at  the  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph's,  1771. 

DEAR  SON  :  I  have  ever  had  pleasure  in  obtaining  any 
little  anecdotes  of  my  ancestors.  You  may  remember  the 
inquiries  I  made  among  the  remains  of  my  relations 
when  you  were  with  me  in  England,  and  the  journey  1 5 
undertook  for  that  purpose.  Imagining  it  may  be  equally 
agreeable  to  you  to  know  the  circumstances  of  my  life, 
many  of  which  you  are  yet  unacquainted  with,  and  ex 
pecting  the  enjoyment  of  a  week's  uninterrupted  leisure 
in  my  present  country  retirement,  I  sit  down  to  write  1C 
them  for  you.  To  which  I  have  besides  some  other  induce 
ments.  Having  emerged  from  the  poverty  and  obscurity 
in  which  I  was  born  and  bred,  to  a  state  of  affluence  and 
some  degree  of  reputation  in  the  world,  and  having  gone 
so  far  through  life  with  a  considerable  share  of  felicity,  15 
the  conducing  means  I  made  use  of,  which  with  the  bless 
ing  of  God  so  well  succeeded,  my  posterity  may  like  to 
know,  as  they  may  find  some  of  them  suitable  to  their  own 
situations,  and  therefore  fit  to  be  imitated. 

That  felicity,  when  I  reflected  on  it,  has  induced  me  20 
sometimes  to  say,   that  were  it  offered  to  my  choice,  I 
should  have  no  objection  to  a  repetition  of  the  same  life 


2  Franklin's  Autobiography 

from  its  beginning,  only  asking  the  advantages  authors 
have  in  a  second  edition  to  correct  some  faults  of  the 
first.  So  I  might,  besides  correcting  the  faults,  change 
some  sinister  accidents  and  events  of  it  for  others  more 
Sfavorable.  But  though  this  were  denied,  I  should  still 
accept  the  offer.  Since  such  a  repetition  is  not  to  be 
expected,  the  next  thing  most  like  living  one's  life  over 
again  seems  to  be  a  recollection  of  that  life,  and  to  make 
that  recollection  as  durable  as  possible  by  putting  it  down 

loin  writing. 

Hereby,  too,  I  shall  indulge  the  inclination  so  natural 
in  old  men,  to  be  talking  of  themselves  and  their  own 
past  actions;  and  I  shall  indulge  it  without  being  tire 
some  to  others,  who,  through  respect  to  age,  might  con- 

isceive  themselves  obliged  to  give  me  a  hearing,  since  this 
may  be  read  or  not  as  anyone  pleases.  And,  lastly  (I 
may  as  well  confess  it,  since  my  denial  of  it  will  be 
believed  by  nobody),  perhaps  I  shall  a  good  deal  gratify 
my  own  vanity.  Indeed,  I  scarce  ever  heard  or  saw  the 

2ointroductory  words,  "  Without  vanity  I  may  say"  etc., 
but  some  vain  thing  immediatel}7"  followed.  Most  people 
dislike  vanity  in  others,  whatever  share  they  have  of  it 
themselves;  but  I  give  it  fair  quarter  wherever  I  meet 
with  it,  being  persuaded  that  it  is  often  productive  of 

2 5 good  to  the  possessor,  and  to  others  that  are  within  his 
sphere  of  action;  and  therefore,  in  many  cases,  it  would 
not  be  altogether  absurd  if  a  man  were  to  thank  God  for 
his  vanity  among  the  other  comforts  of  life. 

And  now  I  speak  of  thanking  God,  I  desire  with  all 

Sohumility  to  acknowledge  that  I  owe  the  mentioned  hap 
piness  of  my  past  life  to  His  kind  providence,  which  led 
me  to  the  means  I  used  and  gave  them  success.  My 
belief  of  this  induces  me  to  hope,  though  I  must  not  pre- 
tume,  that  the  same  goodness  will  still  be  exercised 


Franklin's  Autobiography  3 

toward  me,  in  continuing  that  happiness,  or  enabling  me 
to  bear  a  fatal  reverse,  which  I  may  experience  as  others 
have  done;  the  complexion  of  my  future  fortune  being 
known  to  Him  only  in  whose  power  it  is  to  bless  to  us 
even  our  afflictions. 

The  notes  one  of  my  uncles  (who  had  the  same  kind 
of  curiosity  in  collecting  family  anecdotes)  once  put  into 
my  hands,  furnished  me  with  several  particulars  relating 
to  our  ancestors.  From  these  notes  I  learned  that  the 
family  had  lived  in  the  same  village,  Ecton,  in  North- 10 
amptonshire,  for  three  hundred  years,  and  how  much 
longer  he  knew  not  (perhaps  from  the  time  when  the 
name  of  Franklin,  that  before  was  the  name  of  an  order 
of  people,  was  assumed  by  them  as  a  surname  when  others 
took  surnames  all  over  the  kingdom),  on  a  freehold  of  15 
about  thirty  acres,  aided  by  the  smith's  business,  which 
had  continued  in  the  family  till  his  time,  the  eldest  son 
being  always  bred  to  that  business;  a  custom  which  he 
and  my  father  followed  as  to  their  eldest  sons.  When  I 
searched  the  registers  at  Ecton,  I  found  an  account  of  20 
their  births,  marriages  and  burials  from  the  year  1555 
only,  there  being  no  registers  kept  in  that  parish  at  any 
time  preceding.  By  that  register  I  perceived  that  I  was 
the  youngest  son  of  the  youngest  son  for  five  generations 
back.  My  grandfather  Thomas,  who  was  born  in  1598,26 
lived  at  Ecton  till  he  grew  too  old  to  follow  business 
longer,  when  he  went  to  live  with  his  son  John,  a  dyer  at 
Banbury,  in  Oxfordshire,  with  whom  my  father  served  an 
apprenticeship.  There  my  grandfather  died  and  lies 
buried.  We  saw  his  gravestone  in  1758.  His  eldest  son 30 
Thomas  lived  in  the  house  at  Ecton,  and  left  it  with  the 
land  to  his  only  child,  a  daughter,  who,  with  her  husband, 
one  Fisher,  of  Wellingborough,  sold  it  to  Mr.  Isted,  now 
lord  of  the  manor  there.  My  grandfather  had  four  sons 


4  Franklin's  Autobiography 

that  grew  up,  viz.,  Thomas,  John,  Benjamin  and  Josiah. 
I  will  give  you  what  account  I  can  of  them,  at  this  dis 
tance  from  my  papers,  and  if  these  are  not  lost  in  my 
absence,  you  will  among  them  find  many  more  partic- 
5ulars. 

Thomas  was  bred  a  smith  under  his  father;  but,  being 
ingenious,  and  encouraged  in  learning  (as  all  my  brothers 
were)  by  an  Esquire  Palmer,  then  the  principal  gentle 
man  in  that  parish,  he  qualified  himself  for  the  business 

lOof  scrivener;  became  a  considerable  man  in  the  county; 
was  a  chief  mover  of  all  public-spirited  undertakings  for 
the  county  or  town  of  Northampton,  and  his  own  village, 
of  which  many  instances  were  related  of  him;  and  much 
taken  notice  of  and  patronized  by  the  then  Lord  Halifax. 

15He  died  in  1702,  January  6,  old  style,  just  four  years  to 
a  day  before  I  was  born.  The  account  we  received  of 
his  life  and  character  from  some  old  people  at  Ecton,  I 
remember,  struck  you  as  something  extraordinary,  from 
its  similarity  to  what  you  knew  of  mine.  "  Had  he  died 

20on  the  same  day,"  you  said,  "  one  might  have  supposed 
a  transmigration." 

John  was  bred  a  dyer,  I  believe  of  woolens.  Benjamin 
was  bred  a  silk  dyer,  serving  an  apprenticeship  at  Lon 
don.  He  was  an  ingenious  man.  I  remember  him  well, 

25 for  when  I  was  a  boy  he  came  over  to  my  father  in  Bos 
ton,  and  lived  in  the  house  with  us  some  years.  He  lived 
to  a  great  age.  His  grandson,  Samuel  Franklin,  now 
lives  in  Boston.  He  left  behind  him  two  quarto  volumes, 
MS.,  of  his  own  poetry,  consisting  of  little  occasional 

SOpieces  addressed  to  his  friends  and  relations,  of  which 
the  following,  sent  to  me,  is  a  specimen.  He  had  formed 
a  short-hand  of  his  own,  which  he  taught  me,  but,  never 
practising  it,  I  have  now  forgot  it.  I  was  named  after 
this  uncle,  there  being  a  particular  affection  between  him 


Franklin's  Autobiography  5 

and  my  father.  He  was  very  pious,  a  great  attender  of 
sermons  of  the  best  preachers,  which  he  took  down  in  his 
short-hand,  and  had  with  him  many  volumes  of  them. 
He  was  also  much  of  a  politician ;  too  much,  perhaps,  for 
his  station.  There  fell  lately  into  my  hands,  in  London,  5 
a  collection  he  had  made  of  all  the  principal  pamphlets 
relating  to  public  affairs,  from  1641  to  1717;  many  of 
the  volumes  are  wanting  as  appears  by  the  numbering, 
but  there  still  remain  eight  volumes  in  folio,  and  twenty- 
four  in  quarto  and  in  octavo.  A  dealer  in  old  books  metio 
with  them,  and  knowing  me  by  my  sometimes  buying  of 
him,  he  brought  them  to  me.  It  seems  my  uncle  must 
have  left  them  here  when  he  went  to  America,  which 
was  above  fifty  years  since.  There  are  many  of  his  notes 
in  the  margins.  15 

This  obscure  family  of  ours  was  early  in  the  Refor 
mation,  and  continued  Protestants  through  the  reign  of 
Queen  Mary,  when  they  were  sometimes  in  danger  of 
trouble  on  account  of  their  zeal  against  popery.  They 
had  got  an  English  Bible,  and  to  conceal  and  secure  it, 20 
it  was  fastened  open  with  tapes  under  and  within  the  cover 
of  a  joint-stool.  When  my  great-great-grandfather  read 
it  to  his  family,  he  turned  up  the  joint-stool  upon  his 
knees,  turning  over  the  leaves  then  under  the  tapes. 
One  of  the  children  stood  at  the  door  to  give  notice  2  5 
if  he  saw  the  apparitor  coming,  who  was  an  officer  of  the 
spiritual  court.  In  that  case  the  stool  was  turned  down 
again  upon  its  feet,  when  the  Bible  remained  concealed 
under  it  as  before.  This  anecdote  I  had  from  my  uncle 
Benjamin.  The  family  continued  all  of  the  Church  of 30 
England  till  about  the  end  of  Charles  the  Second's  reign, 
when  some  of  the  ministers  that  had  been  outed  for  non 
conformity,  holding  conventicles  in  Northamptonshire, 
Benjamin  and  Josiah  adhered  to  them,  and  so  continued 


6  Franklin's  Autobiography 

all  their  lives:  the  rest  of  the  family  remained  with  the 
Episcopal  Church. 

Josiah,  my  father,  married  young,  and  carried  his  wife 
with  three  children  into  New  England,  about  1682.  The 
Bconventicles  having  been  forbidden  by  law,  and  frequently 
disturbed,  induced  some  considerable  men  of  his  acquaint 
ance  to  remove  to  that  country,  and  he  was  prevailed  with 
to  accompany  them  thither,  where  they  expected  to  enjoy 
their  mode  of  religion  with  freedom.  By  the  same  wife 

lOhe  had  four  children  more  born  there,  and  by  a  second 
wife  ten  more,  in  all  seventeen;  of  which  I  remember 
thirteen  sitting  at  one  time  at  his  table,  who  all  grew  up 
to  be  men  and  women,  and  married;  I  was  the  youngest 
son,  and  the  youngest  child  but  two,  and  was  born  in 

IsBoston,  New  England.  My  mother,  the  second  wife,  was 
Abiah  Folger,  daughter  of  Peter  Folger,  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  New  England,  of  whom  honorable  mention  is 
made  by  Cotton  Mather,  in  his  church  history  of  that 
country,  entitled  Magnolia  Christi  Americana,  as  "a 

20 godly,  htorned  Englishman"  if  I  remember  the  words 
rightly.  I  have  heard  that  he  wrote  sundry  small  occa 
sional  pieces,  but  only  one  of  them  was  printed,  which  I 
saw  now  many  years  since.  It  was  written  in  1675,  in 
the  home-spun  verse  of  that  time  and  people,  and  ad- 

25dressed  to  those  then  concerned  in  the  government  there. 
It  was  in  favor  of  liberty  of  conscience,  and  in  behalf 
of  the  Baptists,  Quakers,  and  other  sectaries  that  had  been 
under  persecution,  ascribing  the  Indian  wars,  and  other 
distresses  thai  had  befallen  the  country,  to  that  perse- 

Socution,  as  so  many  judgments  of  God  to  punish  so  heinous 
an  offence,  and  exhorting  a  repeal  of  those  unchari 
table  laws.  The  whole  appeared  to  me  as  written  with 
a  good  deal  of  decent  plainness  and  manly  freedom.  The 
six  concluding  lines  I  remember,  though  I  have  for- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  7 

gotten  the  two  first  of  the  stanza;  but  the  purport  of 
them  was,  that  his  censures  proceeded  from  good  will,  and, 
therefore,  he  would  be  known  to  be  the  author. 

"  Because  to  be  a  libeller   (says  he) 

I  hate  it  with  my  heart;  5 

From  Sherburne  town,  where  now  I  dwell 

My  name  I  do  put  here; 
Without   offence   your   real    friend, 

It   is  Peter   Folgier." 

My  elder  brothers  were  all  put  apprentices  to  different  10 
trades.     I  was  put  to  the  grammar-school  at  eight  years 
of  age,  my  father  intending  to  devote  me,  as  the  tithe  of 
his  sons,  to  the  service  of  the  Church.     My  early  readi 
ness  in  learning  to   read    (which  must  have  been  very 
early,  as  I  do  not  remember  when   I  could  not  read),  15 
and  the  opinion  of  all  his  friends,  that  I  should  certainly 
make  a  good  scholar,  encouraged  him  in  this  purpose  of 
his.     My  uncle  Benjamin,  too,  approved  of  it,  and  pro 
posed  to  give  me  all  his  short-hand  volumes  of  sermons, 
I  suppose  as  a  stock  to  set  up  with,  if  I  would  learn  his20 
character.     I  continued,  however,  at  the  grammar-school 
not  quite  one  year,  though  in  that  time  I  had  risen  gradu 
ally  from  the  middle  of  the  class  of  that  year  to  be  the 
head  of  it,  and  farther  was  removed  into  the  next  class 
above  it,  in  order  to  go  with  that  into  the  third  at  the  2 5 
end  of  the  year.     But  my  father,  in  the  meantime,  from 
a  view  of  the  expense  of  a  college  education,  which  having 
so  large  a  family  he  could  not  well  afford,  and  the  mean 
living  many  so  educated  were  afterwards  able  to  obtain 
—  reasons  that  he  gave  to  his  friends  in  my  hearing — 30 
altered  his  first  intention,  took  me  from  the  grammar- 
school,  and  sent  me  to  a  school  for  writing  and  arithme 
tic,  kept  by  a  then  famous  man,  Mr.  George  Brownell, 


8  Franklin's  Autobiography 

very  successful  in  his  profession  generally,  and  that  by 
mild,  encouraging  methods.  Under  him  I  acquired  fair 
writing  pretty  soon,  but  I  failed  in  the  arithmetic,  and 
made  no  progress  in  it.  At  ten  years  old  I  was  taken 
5 home  to  assist  my  father  in  his  business,  which  was  that 
of  a  tallow-chandler  and  soap-boiler;  a  business  he  was 
not  bred  to,  but  had  assumed  on  his  arrival  in  New  Eng 
land,  and  on  finding  his  dyeing  trade  would  not  maintain 
his  family,  being  in  little  request.  Accordingly,  I  was 

lOemployed  in  cutting  wick  for  the  candles,  filling  the  dip 
ping  mould  and  the  moulds  for  cast  candles,  attending 
the  shop,  going  of  errands,  etc. 

I  disliked  the  trade,  and  had  a  strong  inclination  for 
the  sea,  but  my  father  declared  against  it ;  however,  living 

15 near  the  water,  I  was  much  in  and  about  it,  learned 
early  to  swim  well,  and  to  manage  boats;  and  when  in  a 
boat  or  canoe  with  other  boys,  I  was  commonly  allowed 
to  govern,  especially  in  any  case  of  difficulty;  and  upon 
other  occasions  I  was  generally  a  leader  among  the  boys, 

20and  sometimes  led  them  into  scrapes,  of  which  I  will 
mention  one  instance,  as  it  shows  an  early  projecting 
public  spirit,  though  not  then  justly  conducted. 

There  was  a  salt-marsh  that  bounded  part  of  the  mill- 
pond,  on  the  edge  of  which,  at  high  water,  we  used  to 

25stand  to  fish  for  minnows.  By  much  trampling,  we  had 
made  it  a  mere  quagmire.  My  proposal  was  to  build  a 
wharf  there  fit  for  us  to  stand  upon,  and  I  showed  my 
comrades  a  large  heap  of  stones,  which  were  intended  for 
a  new  house  near  the  marsh,  and  which  would  very  well 

30suit  our  purpose.  Accordingly,  in  the  evening,  when  the 
workmen  were  gone,  I  assembled  a  number  of  my  play 
fellows,  and  working  with  them  diligently  like  so  many 
emmets,  sometimes  two  or  three  to  a  stone,  we  brought 
them  all  away  and  built  our  little  wharf.  The  next  morn- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  9 

ing  the  workmen  were  surprised  at  missing  the  stones, 
which  were  found  in  our  wharf.  Inquiry  was  made  after 
the  removers;  we  were  discovered  and  complained  of; 
several  of  us  were  corrected  by  our  fathers;  and,  though 
of  the  work,  mine  convinced  me5 


l:hat  nothing  was  useful  which  was  not  honest. 

I  think  you  may  like  to  know  something  of  his  person 
and  character.  He  had  an  excellent  constitution  of  body, 
was  of  middle  stature,  but  well  set,  and  very  strong;  he 
was  ingenious,  could  draw  prettily,  was  skilled  a  little  in  10 
music,  and  had  a  clear,  pleasing  voice,  so  that  when  he 
played  psalm  tunes  on  his  violin  and  sung  withal,  as  he 
sometimes  did  in  an  evening  after  the  business  of  the  day 
was  over,  it  was  extremely  agreeable  to  hear.  He  had  a 
mechanical  genius  too,  and,  on  occasion,  was  very  handyis 
in  the  use  of  other  tradesmen's  tools;  but  his  great  ex 
cellence  lay  in  a  sound  understanding  and  solid  judgment 
in  prudential  matters,  both  in  private  and  public  affairs. 
In  the  latter,  indeed,  he  was  never  employed,  the  numer 
ous  family  he  had  to  educate  and  the  straitness  of  his  20 
circumstances  keeping  him  close  to  his  trade;  but  I  re 
member  well  his  being  frequently  visited  by  leading  peo 
ple,  who  consulted  him  for  his  opinion  in  affairs  of  the 
town  or  of  the  church  he  belonged  to,  and  showed  a  good 
deal  of  respect  for  his  judgment  and  advice:  he  was  also25 
much  consulted  by  private  persons  about  their  affairs 
when  any  difficulty  occurred,  and  frequently  chosen  an 
arbitrator  between  contending  parties.  At  his  table  he 
liked  to  have,  as  often  as  he  could,  some  sensible  friend 
or  neighbor  to  converse  with,  and  always  took  care  to  30 
start  some  ingenious  or  useful  topic  for  discourse,  which 
might  tend  to  improve  the  minds  of  his  children.  By 
this  means  he  turned  our  attention  to  what  was  good, 
just,  and  prudent  in  the  conduct  of  life;  and  little  or  no 


io  Franklin's  Autobiography 

notice  was  ever  taken  of  what  related  to  the  victuals  on 
the  table,  whether  it  was  well  or  ill  dressed,  in  or  out  of 
season,  of  good  or  bad  flavor,  preferable  or  inferior  to 
this  or  that  other  thing  of  the  kind,  so  that  I  was  brought 
5up  in  such  a  perfect  inattention  to  those  matters  as  to  be 
quite  indifferent  what  kind  of  food  was  set  before  me,  and 
so  unobservant  of  it,  that  to  this  day  if  I  am  asked  I  can 
scarce  tell  a  few  hours  after  dinner  what  I  dined  upon. 
This  has  been  a  convenience  to  me  in  traveling,  where 
lOmy  companions  have  been  sometimes  very  unhappy  for 
want  of  a  suitable  gratification  of  their  more  delicate,  be 
cause  better  instructed,  tastes  and  appetites. 

My   mother   had   likewise   an    excellent   constitution: 
she  suckled  all  her  ten  children.     I  never  knew  either 
15my  father  or  mother  to  have  any  sickness  but  that  of 
which  they  died,  he  at  89,  and  she  at  85  years  of  age. 
They  lie  buried  together  at  Boston,  where  I  some  years 
since  placed  a  marble  over  their  grave,  with  this  inscrip 
tion: 
20  JOSIAH  FRANKLIN, 

and 

ABIAH  his  wife, 
lie  here  interred. 

They  lived   lovingly  together  in  wedlock 
25  fifty-five    years. 

Without  an  estate,  or  any  gainful  employment, 
By  constant   labor   and   industry, 

with  God's  blessing, 
They  maintained   a  large  family 
30  comfortably, 

and  brought  up  thirteen  children 
and   seven    grandchildren 

reputably. 

From   this   instance,    reader, 
35  Be  encouraged  to  diligence  in  thy  calling, 

And  distrust  not  Providence. 
He  was  a  pious  and  prudent  man; 


Franklin's  Autobiography  1 1 

She,  a  discreet  and  virtuous  woman. 

Their    youngest    son, 
In  filial  regard  to  their  memory, 

Places  this  stone. 

J.  F.  born   1655,   died   1744,    ^Etat  89.  5 

A.  F.  born  1667,  died  1752,  85. 

By  my  rambling  digressions  I  perceive  myself  to  be 
grown  old.  I  used  to  write  more  methodically.  But  one 
does  not  dress  for  private  company  as  for  a  public  ball. 
Tis  perhaps  only  negligence. 

To  return:  I  continued  thus  employed  in  my  father's 
business  for  two  years,  that  is,  till  I  was  twelve  years  old ; 
and  my  brother  John,  who  was  bred  to  that  business, 
having  left  my  father,  married,  and  set  up  for  himself  at 
Rhode  Island,  there  was  all  appearance  that  I  was  des-15 
tined  to  supply  his  place,  and  become  a  tallow-chandler, 
but  my  dislike  to  the  trade  continuing,  my  father  was 
under  apprehensions  that  if  he  did  not  find  one  for  me 
more  agreeable,  I  should  break  away  and  get  to  sea,  as 
his  son  Josiah  had  done,  to  his  great  vexation.  He  there- 20 
fore  sometimes  took  me  to  walk  with  him,  and  see  joiners, 
bricklayers,  turners,  braziers,  etc.,  at  their  work,  that  he 
might  observe  my  inclination,  and  endeavor  to  fix  it  on 
some  trade  or  other  on  land.  It  has  ever  since  been  a 
pleasure  to  me  to  see  good  workmen  handle  their  tools; 25 
and  it  has  been  useful  to  me,  having  learned  so  much  by  it 
as  to  be  able  to  do  little  jobs  myself  in  my  house  when 
a  workman  could  not  readily  be  got,  and  to  construct 
little  machines  for  my  experiments,  while  the  intention  of 
making  the  experiment  was  fresh  and  warm  in  my  mind. 30 
My  father  at  last  fixed  upon  the  cutler's  trade,  and  my 
uncle  Benjamin's  son  Samuel,  who  was  bred  to  that  busi 
ness  in  London,  being  about  that  time  established  in  Bos 
ton,  I  was  sent  to  be  with  him  some  time  on  liking.  But 


12  Franklin's  Autobiography 

his  expectations  of  a  fee  with  me  displeasing  my  father,  I 
was  taken  home  again. 


II 

BEGINNING  LIFE  AS  A  PRINTER 

5  FROM  a  child  I  was  fond  of  reading,  and  all  the  little 
money  that  came  into  my  hands  was  ever  laid  out  in 
books.  Pleased  with  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  my  first 
collection  was  of  John  Bunyan's  works  in  separate  little 
volumes.  I  afterward  sold  them  to  enable  me  to  buy 

10R.  Burton's  Historical  Collections;  they  were  small 
chapmen's  books,  and  cheap,  40  or  50  in  all.  My  father's 
little  library  consisted  chiefly  of  books  in  polemic  divinity, 
most  of  which  I  read,  and  have  since  often  regretted  that, 
at  a  time  when  I  had  such  a  thirst  for  knowledge,  more 

ISproper  books  had  not  fallen  in  my  way,  since  it  was  now 
resolved  I  should  not  be  a  clergyman.  Plutarch's  Lives 
there  was  in  which  I  read  abundantly,  and  I  still  think 
that  time  spent  to  great  advantage.  There  was  also  a 
book  of  DeFoe's,  called  an  Essay  on  Projects  and  another 

20of  Dr.  Mather's  called  Essays  to  do  Good,  which  perhaps 
gave  me  a  turn  of  thinking  that  had  an  influence  on  some 
of  the  principal  future  events  of  my  life. 

This    bookish    inclination    at    length    determined    my 
father  to  make  me  a  printer,  though  he  had  already  one 

25son  (James)  of  that  profession.  In  1717  my  brother 
James  returned  from  England  with  a  press  and  letters  to 
set  up  his  business  in  Boston.  I  liked  it  much  better 
than  that  of  my  father,  but  still  had  a  hankering  for  the 
sea.  To  prevent  the  apprehended  effect  of  such  an 

30inclination,  my  father  was  impatient  to  have  me  bound 


Franklin's  Autobiography  13 

to  my  brother.  I  stood  out  some  time,  but  at  last  was 
persuaded,  and  signed  the  indentures  when  I  was  yet  but 
twelve  years  old.  I  was  to  serve  as  an  apprentice  till  I 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  only  I  was  to  be  allowed 
journeyman's  wages  during  the  last  year.  In  a  little  time  5 
I  made  great  proficiency  in  the  business,  and  became  a  use 
ful  hand  to  my  brother.  I  now  had  access  to  better  books. 
An  acquaintance  with  the  apprentices  of  booksellers  en 
abled  me  sometimes  to  borrow  a  small  one,  which  I 
was  careful  to  return  soon  and  clean.  Often  I  sat  up  in  10 
my  room  reading  the  greatest  part  of  the  night,  when  the 
book  was  borrowed  in  the  evening  and  to  be  returned 
early  in  the  morning,  lest  it  should  be  missed  or  wanted. 
And  after  some  time  an  ingenious  tradesman,  Mr. 
Matthew  Adams,  who  had  a  pretty  collection  of  books,  15 
and  who  frequented  our  printing-house,  took  notice  of 
me,  invited  me  to  his  library,  and  very  kindly  lent  me 
such  books  as  I  chose  to  read.  I  now  took  a  fancy  to 
poetry,  and  made  some  little  pieces;  my  brother,  think 
ing  it  might  turn  to  account,  encouraged  me,  and  put  me  20 
on  composing  occasional  ballads.  One  was  called  The 
Lighthouse  Tragedy,  and  contained  an  account  of  the 
drowning  of  Captain  Worthilake,  with  his  two  daughters: 
the  other  was  a  sailor's  song,  on  the  taking  of  Teach  (or 
Blackbeard)  the  pirate.  They  were  wretched  stuff,  in 25 
the  Grub-street-ballad  style;  and  when  they  were  printed 
he  sent  me  about  the  town  to  sell  them.  The  first  sold 
wonderfully,  the  event  being  recent,  having  made  a  great 
noise.  This  flattered  my  vanity;  but  my  father  discour 
aged  me  by  ridiculing  my  performances,  and  telling  me  30 
verse-makers  were  generally  beggars.  So  I  escaped  being 
a  poet,  most  probably  a  very  bad  one;  but  as  prose 
writing  has  been  of  great  use  to  me  in  the  course  of  my 
life,  and  was  a  principal  means  of  my  advancement,  I 


14  Franklin's  Autobiography 

shall  tell  you  how,  in  such  a  situation,  I  acquired  what 
little  ability  I  have  in  that  way. 

There  was  another  bookish  lad  in  the  town,  John  Col 
lins  by  name,  with  whom  I  was  intimately  acquainted. 
5  We  sometimes  disputed,  and  very  fond  we  were  of  argu 
ment,  and  very  desirous  of  confuting  one  another,  which 
disputatious  turn,  by  the  way,  is  apt  to  become  a  very 
bad  habit,  making  people  often  extremely  disagreeable 
in  company  by  the  contradiction  that  is  necessary  to 

lObring  it  into  practice;  and  thence,  besides  souring  and 
spoiling  the  conversation,  is  productive  of  disgusts  and, 
perhaps  enmities  where  you  may  have  occasion  for  friend 
ship.  I  had  caught  it  by  reading  my  father's  books  of 
dispute  about  religion.  Persons  of  good  sense,  I  have 

15 since  observed,  seldom  fall  into  it,  except  lawyers,  uni 
versity  men,  and  men  of  all  sorts  that  have  been  bred 
at  Edinborough. 

A  question  was  once,  somehow  or  other,  started  be 
tween  Collins  and  me,  of  the  propriety  of  educating  the 

2ofemale  sex  in  learning,  and  their  abilities  for  study.  He 
was  of  opinion  that  it  was  improper,  and  that  they  were 
naturally  unequal  to  it.  I  took  the  contrary  side,  per 
haps  a  little  for  dispute's  sake.  He  was  naturally  more 
eloquent,  had  a  ready  plenty  of  words ;  and  sometimes, 

25as  I  thought,  bore  me  down  more  by  his  fluency  than  by 
the  strength  of  his  reasons.  As  we  parted  without  settling 
the  point,  and  were  not  to  see  one  another  again  for  some 
time,  I  sat  down  to  put  my  arguments  in  writing,  which  I 
copied  fair  and  sent  to  him.  He  answered,  and  I  replied. 

SoThree  or  four  letters  of  a  side  had  passed,  when  my 
father  happened  to  find  my  papers  and  read  them.  With 
out  entering  into  the  discussion,  he  took  occasion  to  talk  to 
me  about  the  manner  of  my  writing;  observed  that, 
though  I  had  the  advantage  of  my  antagonist  in  correct 


Franklin's  Autobiography  15 

spelling  and  pointing  (which  I  owed  to  the  printing- 
house),  I  fell  far  short  in  elegance  of  expression,  in 
method  and  in  perspicuity,  of  which  he  convinced  me  by 
several  instances.  I  saw  the  justice  of  his  remarks,  and 
thence  grew  more  attentive  to  the  manner  in  writing,  ands 
determined  to  endeavor  at  improvement. 

About  this  time  I  met  with  an  odd  volume  of  the  Spec 
tator.  It  was  the  third.  I  had  never  before  seen  any  of 
them.  I  bought  it,  read  it  over  and  over,  and  was  much 
delighted  with  it.  I  thought  the  writing  excellent,  and  10 
wished,  if  possible,  to  imitate  it.  With  this  view  I  took 
some  of  the  papers,  and,  making  short  hints  of  the  senti 
ment  in  each  sentence,  laid  them  by  a  few  days,  and 
then,  without  looking  at  the  book,  tried  to  complete  the 
papers  again,  by  expressing  each  hinted  sentiment  at  15 
length,  and  as  fully  as  it  had  been  expressed  before,  in 
any  suitable  words  that  should  come  to  hand.  Then 
I  compared  my  Spectator  with  the  original,  discovered 
some  of  my  faults,  and  corrected  them.  But  I  found  I 
wanted  a  stock  of  words,  or  a  readiness  in  recollecting 20 
and  using  them,  which  I  thought  I  should  have  acquired 
before  that  time  if  I  had  gone  on  making  verses ;  since  the 
continual  occasion  for  words  of  the  same  import,  but  of 
different  length,  to  suit  the  measure,  or  of  different  sound 
for  the  rhyme,  would  have  laid  me  under  a  constant  neces-25 
sity  of  searching  for  variety,  and  also  have  tended  to  fix 
that  variety  in  my  mind,  and  make  me  master  of  it. 
Therefore  I  took  some  of  the  tales  and  turned  them  into 
verse ;  and,  after  a  time,  when  I  had  pretty  well  forgotten 
the  prose,  turned  them  back  again.  I  also  sometimes  jum-so 
bled  my  collections  of  hints  into  confusion,  and  after  some 
weeks  endeavored  to  reduce  them  into  the  best  order, 
before  I  began  to  form  the  full  sentences  and  complete 
the  paper.  This  was  to  teach  me  method  in  the  arrange- 


1 6  Franklin's  Autobiography 

ment  of  thoughts.  By  comparing  my  work  afterwards 
with  the  original,  I  discovered  many  faults  and  amended 
them;  but  I  sometimes  had  the  pleasure  of  fancying  that, 
in  certain  particulars  of  small  import,  I  had  been  lucky 
Senough  to  improve  the  method  of  the  language,  and  this 
encouraged  me  to  think  I  might  possibly  in  time  come  to 
be  a  tolerable  English  writer,  of  which  I  was  extremely 
ambitious.  My  time  for  these  exercises  and  for  reading 
was  at  night,  after  work,  or  before  it  began  in  the  morn- 

lOing,  or  on  Sundays,  when  I  contrived  to  be  in  the  print 
ing-house  alone,  evading  as  much  as  I  could  the  common 
attendance  on  public  worship,  which  my  father  used  to 
exact  of  me  when  I  was  under  his  care,  and  which  indeed 
I  still  thought  a  duty,  though  I  could  not,  as  it  seemed  to 

15me,  afford  time  to  practise  it. 

When  about  16  years  of  age  I  happened  to  meet  with 
a  book,  written  by  one  Tryon,  recommending  a  vegetable 
diet.  I  determined  to  go  into  it.  My  brother,  being  yet 
unmarried,  did  not  keep  house,  but  boarded  himself  and 

20his  apprentices  in  another  family.  My  refusing  to  eat 
flesh  occasioned  an  inconveniency,  and  I  was  frequently 
chid  for  my  singularity.  I  made  myself  acquainted  with 
Tryon's  manner  of  preparing  some  of  his  dishes,  such  as 
boiling  potatoes  or  rice,  making  hasty  pudding,  and  a 

25 few  others,  and  then  proposed  to  my  brother,  that  if 
he  would  give  me,  weekly,  half  the  money  he  paid  for 
my  board,  I  would  board  myself.  He  instantly  agreed 
to  it,  and  I  presently  found  that  I  could  save  half  what 
he  paid  me.  This  was  an  additional  fund  for  buying 

SObooks.  But  I  had  another  advantage  in  it.  My  brother 
and  the  rest  going  from  the  printing-house  to  their  meals, 
I  remained  there  alone,  and,  dispatching  presently  my 
light  repast,  which  often  was  no  more  than  a  biscuit  or  a 
slice  of  bread,  a  handful  of  raisins  or  a  tart  from  the 


Franklin's  Autobiography  17 

pastry-cook's,  and  a  glass  of  water,  had  the  rest  of  the 
time  till  their  return  for  study,  in  which  I  made  the 
greater  progress,  from  that  greater  clearness  of  head  and 
quicker  apprehension  which  usually  attend  temperance  in 
eating  and  drinking.  5 

And  now  it  was  that,  being  on  some  occasion  made 
ashamed  of  my  ignorance  in  figures,  which  I  had  twice 
failed  in  learning  when  at  school,  I  took  Cocker's  book 
of  Arithmetic,  and  went  through  the  whole  by  myself 
with  great  ease.  I  also  read  Seller's  and  Shermy's  bookslO 
of  Navigation,  and  became  acquainted  with  the  little 
geometry  they  contain;  but  never  proceeded  far  in  that 
science.  And  I  read  about  this  time  Locke  On  Human 
Understanding,  and  the  Art  of  Thinking,  by  Messrs,  du 
Port  Royal.  15 

While  I  was  intent  on  improving  my  language,  I  met 
with  an  English  grammar  (I  think  it  was  Greenwood's), 
at  the  end  of  which  there  were  two  little  sketches  of  the 
arts  of  rhetoric  and  logic,  the  latter  finishing  with  a  speci 
men  of  a  dispute  in  the  Socratic  method ;  and  soon  after20 
I  procured  Xenophon's  Memorable  Things  of  Socrates, 
wherein  there  are  many  instances  of  the  same  method. 
I  was  charmed  with  it,  adopted  it,  dropped  my  abrupt  con 
tradiction  and  positive  argumentation,  and  put  on  the 
humble  inquirer  and  doubter.  And  being  then,  from 2 5 
reading  Shaftesbury  and  Collins,  become  a  real  doubter 
in  many  points  of  our  religious  doctrine,  I  found  this 
method  safest  for  myself  and  very  embarrassing  to  those 
against  whom  I  used  it;  therefore  I  took  a  delight  in  it, 
practised  it  continually,  and  grew  very  artful  and  experts^ 
in  drawing  people,  even  of  superior  knowledge,  into  con 
cessions,  the  consequences  of  which  they  did  not  foresee, 
entangling  them  in  difficulties  out  of  which  they  could 
not  extricate  themselves,  and  so  obtaining  victories  that 


1 8  Franklin's  Autobiography 

neither  myself  nor  my  cause  always  deserved.  I  con 
tinued  this  method  some  few  years,  but  gradually  left  it, 
retaining  only  the  habit  of  expressing  myself  in  terms 
of  modest  diffidence;  never  using,  when  I  advanced  any- 
5thing  that  may  possibly  be  disputed,  the  words  certainly, 
undoubtedly,  or  any  others  that  give  the  air  of  positive- 
ness  to  an  opinion;  but  rather  say,  I  conceive  or  appre 
hend  a  thing  to  be  so  and  so;  it  appears  to  me,  or  / 
should  think  it  so  or  so,  for  such  and  such  reasons;  or  /  im~ 

IQagine  it  to  be  so;  or  it  is  so,  if  I  am  not  mistaken.  This 
habit,  I  believe,  has  been  of  great  advantage  to  me 
when  I  have  had  occasion  to  inculcate  my  opinions,  and 
persuade  men  into  measures  that  I  have  been  from  time  to 
time  engaged  in  promoting ;  and,  as  the  chief  ends  of  con- 

ISversation  are  to  inform  or  to  be  informed,  to  please  or  to 
persuade,  I  wish  well-meaning,  sensible  men  would  not 
lessen  their  power  of  doing  good  by  a  positive,  assuming 
manner,  that  seldom  fails  to  disgust,  tends  to  create  op 
position,  and  to  defeat  everyone  of  those  purposes  for 

20which  speech  was  given  to  us,  to  wit,  giving  or  receiving 
information  or  pleasure.  For,  if  you  would  inform,  a 
positive  and  dogmatical  manner  in  advancing  your  senti 
ments  may  provoke  contradiction  and  prevent  a  candid 
attention.  If  you  wish  information  and  improvement 

25from  the  knowledge  of  others,  and  yet  at  the  same  time 
express  yourself  as  firmly  fixed  in  your  present  opinions, 
modest,  sensible  men,  who  do  not  love  disputation,  will 
probably  leave  you  undisturbed  in  the  possession  of  your 
error.  And  by  such  a  manner,  you  can  seldom  hope  to 

SOrecommend  yourself  in  pleasing  your  hearers,  or  to  per 
suade  those  whose  concurrence  you  desire.  Pope  says, 
judiciously: 

"  Men  should  be  taught  as  if  you  taught  them  not, 
And  things  unknown  propos'd  as  things  forgot?' 


Franklin's  Autobiography  19 

farther  recommending  to  us 

"To  speak,  tho'  sure,  with  seeming  diffidence." 

And  he  might  have  coupled  with  this  line  that  which  he 
has  coupled  with  another,  I  think,  less  properly, 

"  For  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense."  5 

If  you  ask,  Why  less  properly?     I  must  repeat  the  lines, 

"  Immodest  words  admit  of  no  defense, 
For  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense." 

Now,  is  not  want  of  sense  (where  a  man  is  so  unfortunate 
as  to  want  it)   some  apology  for  his  want  of  modesty? 'ic 
and  would  not  the  lines  stand  more  justly  thus? 

"  Immodest   words   admit   but  this    defense, 
That  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense." 

This,  however,  I  should  submit  to  better  judgments. 

My  brother  had,  in  1720  or  1721,  begun  to  print  a  news-15 
paper.     It  was  the  second  that  appeared  in  America,  and 
was  called   the  New  England   Courant.     The   only  one 
before  it  was  the  Boston  News-Letter.     I  remember  his 
being  dissuaded  by  some  of  his  friends  from  the  under 
taking,  as  not  likely  to  succeed,  one  newspaper  being,  in 20 
their  judgment,  enough  for  America.     At  this  time  (1771) 
there  are  not  less  than   fwe-and-twenty.     He  went   on, 
however,  with  the  undertaking,  and  after  having  worked 
in  composing  the  types  and  printing  off  the  sheets,  I  was 
employed  to  carry  the  papers  through  the  streets  to  the  2  5 
customers. 

He  had  some  ingenious  men  among  his  friend*,  who 


2O  Franklin's  Autobiography 

amused  themselves  by  writing  little  pieces  for  this  paper, 
which  gained  it  credit  and  made  it  more  in  demand,  and 
these  gentlemen  often  visited  us.  Hearing  their  conver 
sations,  and  their  accounts  of  the  approbation  their  papers 
5were  received  with,  I  was  excited  to  try  my  hand  among 
them;  but,  being  still  a  boy,  and  suspecting  that  my 
brother  would  object  to  printing  anything  of  mine  in  his 
paper  if  he  knew  it  to  be  mine,  I  contrived  to  disguise 
my  hand,  and,  writing  an  anonymous  paper,  I  put  it  in  at 

lOnight  under  the  door  of  the  printing-house.  It  was  found 
in  the  morning,  and  communicated  to  his  writing  friends 
when  they  called  in  as  usual.  They  read  it,  commented 
on  it  in  my  hearing,  and  I  had  the  exquisite  pleasure  of 
finding  it  met  with  their  approbation,  and  that,  in  their 

15 different  guesses  at  the  author,  none  were  named  but  men 
of  some  character  among  us  for  learning  and  ingenuity. 
I  suppose  now  that  I  was  rather  lucky  in  my  judges,  and 
that  perhaps  they  were  not  really  so  very  good  ones  as  I 
then  esteemed  them. 

20  Encouraged,  however,  by  this,  I  wrote  and  conveyed 
in  the  same  way  to  the  press  several  more  papers  which 
were  equally  approved;  and  I  kept  my  secret  till  my| 
small  fund  of  sense  for  such  performances  was  pretty  well 
exhausted,  and  then  I  discovered  it,  when  I  began  to  be 

25considered  a  little  more  by  my  brother's  acquaintance, 
and  in  a  manner  that  did  not  quite  please  him,  as  hei 
thought,  probably  with  reason,  that  it  tended  to  make  me1 
too  vain.  And,  perhaps,  this  might  be  one  occasion  of 
the  differences  that  we  began  to  have  about  this  time. 

SoThough  a  brother,  he  considered  himself  as  my  master, 
and  me  as  his  apprentice,  and,  accordingly,  expected  the! 
same  services  from  me  as  he  would  from  another,  while* 
I  thought  he  demeaned  me  too  much  in  some  he  required 
of  me,  who  from  a  brother  expected  more  indulgence. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  21 

Our  disputes  were  often  brought  before  our  father,  and  I 
fancy  I  was  either  generally  in  the  right,  or  else  a  better 
pleader,  because  the  judgment  was  generally  in  my 
favor.  But  my  brother  was  passionate,  and  had  often 
beaten  me,  which  I  took  extremely  amiss;  and,  thinkings 
my  apprenticeship  very  tedious,  I  was  continually  wishing 
for  some  opportunity  of  shortening  it,  which  at  length 
offered  in  a  manner  unexpected. 

One  of  the  pieces  in  our  newspaper  on  some  political 
point,  which  I  have  now  forgotten,  gave  ofTense  to  the  10 
Assembly.     He  was  taken  up,  censured,  and  imprisoned 
for  a  month,  by  the  speaker's  warrant,  I  suppose,  because 
he  would  not  discover  his  author.     I  too  was  taken  up  and 
examined  before  the  council;  but,  though  I  did  not  give 
them  any  satisfaction,  they  contented  themselves  W7ith  ad- 15 
monishing  me,   and   dismissed  me,   considering  me,   per 
haps,  as  an  apprentice,  who  was  bound  to  keep  his  master's 
secrets. 

During  my  brother's  confinement,  which  I  resented  a 
good  deal,  notwithstanding  our  private  differences,  I  had 20 
the  management  of  the  paper;  and  I  made  bold  to  give 
our  rulers  some  rubs  in  it,  which  my  brother  took  very 
kindly,  while  others  began  to  consider  me  in  an  unfavor 
able  light,  as  a  young  genius  that  had  a  turn  for  libeling 
and    satire.     My   brother's    discharge   was    accompanied 25 
with   an   order  of   the   House    (a  very  odd   one),   that 
"  James  Franklin  should  no  longer  print  the  paper  called 
the  New  England  Courant" 

There  was  a  consultation  held  in  our  printing-house 
among  his  friends,  what  he  should  do  in  this  case.  Some  30 
proposed  to  evade  the  order  by  changing  the  name  of 
the  paper;  but  my  brother,  seeing  inconveniences  in 
that,  it  was  finally  concluded  on  as  a  better  way,  to  let 
it  be  printed  for  the  future  under  the  name  of  BENJAMIN 


22  Franklin's  Autobiography 

FRANKLIN;  and  to  avoid  the  censure  of  the  Assembly, 
that  might  fall  on  him  as  still  printing  it  by  his  appren 
tice,  the  contrivance  was  that  my  old  indenture  should 
be  returned  to  me,  with  a  full  discharge  on  the  back  of  it, 
5 to  be  shown  on  occasion,  but  to  secure  to  him  the  benefit 
of  my  service,  I  was  to  sign  new  indentures  for  the  re 
mainder  of  the  term,  which  were  to  be  kept  private.  A 
very  flimsy  scheme  it  was;  however,  it  was  immediately 
executed,  and  the  paper  went  on  accordingly,  under  my 

lOname  for  several  months. 

At  length,  a  fresh  difference  arising  between  my  brother 
and  me,  I  took  upon  me  to  assert  my  freedom,  presuming 
that  he  would  not  venture  to  produce  the  new  indentures. 
It  was  not  fair  in  me  to  take  this  advantage,  and  this  I 

15therefore  reckon  one  of  the  first  errata  of  my  life;  but 
the  unfairness  of  it  weighed  little  with  me,  when  under 
the  impressions  of  resentment  for  the  blows  his  passion 
too  often  urged  him  to  bestow  upon  me,  though  he  was 
otherwise  not  an  ill-natured  man:  perhaps  I  was  too 

20saucy  and  provoking. 

When  he  found  I  would  leave  him,  he  took  care  to 
prevent  my  getting  employment  in  any  other  printing- 
house  of  the  town,  by  going  round  and  speaking  to  every 
master,  who  accordingly  refused  to  give  me  work.  I  then 

2 5 thought  of  going  to  New  York,  as  the  nearest  place  where 
there  was  a  printer;  and  I  was  rather  inclined  to  leave 
Boston  when  I  reflected  that  I  had  already  made  myself 
a  little  obnoxious  to  the  governing  party,  and,  from  the 
arbitrary  proceedings  of  the  Assembly  in  my  brother's 

SOcase,  it  was  likely  I  might,  if  I  stayed,  soon  bring  myseli 
into  scrapes;  and  farther,  that  my  indiscreet  disputations 
about  religion  began  to  make  me  pointed  at  with  horror 
by  good  people  as  an  infidel  or  atheist.  I  determined  on 
the  point,  but  my  father  now  siding  with  my  brother,  I 


Franklin's  Autobiography  23 

was  sensible  that,  if  I  attempted  to  go  openly,  means 
would  be  used  to  prevent  me.  My  friend  Collins,  there 
fore,  undertook  to  manage  a  little  for  me.  He  agreed 
with  the  captain  of  a  New  York  sloop  for  my  passage, 
under  the  notion  of  my  being  a  young  acquaintance  of5 
his.  So  I  sold  some  of  my  books  to  raise  a  little  money, 
was  taken  on  board  privately,  and  as  we  had  a  fair  wind, 
in  three  days  I  found  myself  in  New  York,  near  300 
miles  from  home,  a  boy  of  but  17,  without  the  least 
recommendation  to,  or  knowledge  of,  any  person  in  thelO 
place,  and  with  very  little  money  in  my  pocket. 


Ill 
ARRIVAL   IN   PHILADELPHIA 

MY  inclinations  for  the  sea  were  by  this  time  worn  out, 
or  I  might  now  have  gratified  them.  But,  having  a  trade, 
and  supposing  myself  a  pretty  good  workman,  I  offered 
my  service  to  the  printer  in  the  place,  old  Mr.  William  15 
Bradford,  who  had  been  the  first  printer  in  Pennsylvania, 
but  removed  from  thence  upon  the  quarrel  of  George 
Keith.  He  could  give  me  no  employment,  having  little 
to  do,  and  help  enough  already ;  "  but,"  says  he,  "  My  son 
at  Philadelphia  has  lately  lost  his  principal  hand,  Aquilla2U 
Rose,  by  death ;  if  you  go  thither,  I  believe  he  may  em 
ploy  you."  Philadelphia  was  a  hundred  miles  further;  I 
set  out,  however,  in  a  boat  for  Amboy,  leaving  my  chest 
and  things  to  follow  me  round  by  sea. 

In  crossing  the  bay,  we  met  with  a  squall  that  tore  our25 
rotten  sails  to  pieces,  prevented  our  getting  into  the  Kill, 
and  drove  us  upon  Long  Island.     In  our  way,  a  drunken 
Dutchman,  who  was  a  passenger  too,  fell  overboard ;  when 


24  Franklin's  Autobiography 

he  was  sinking,  I  reached  through  the  water  to  his  shock 
pate,  and  drew  him  up,  so  that  we  got  him  in  again.  His 
ducking  sobered  him  a  little,  and  he  went  to  sleep,  taking 
first  out  of  his  pocket  a  book,  which  he  desired  I  would 
Bdry  for  him.  It  proved  to  be  my  old  favorite  author,  Bun- 
yan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  in  Dutch,  finely  printed  on  good 
paper,  with  copper  cuts,  a  dress  better  than  I  had  ever 
seen  it  wear  in  its  own  language.  I  have  since  found 
that  it  has  been  translated  into  most  of  the  languages 

lOof  Europe,  and  suppose  it  has  been  more  generally  read 
than  any  other  book,  except  perhaps  the  Bible.  Honest 
John  was  the  first  that  I  know  of  who  mixed  narration  and 
dialogue ;  a  method  of  writing  very  engaging  to  the  reader, 
who  in  the  most  interesting  parts  finds  himself,  as  it  were, 

isbrought  into  the  company  and  present  at  the  discourse. 
De  Foe  in  his  Crusoe,  his  Moll  Flanders,  Religious  Court 
ship,  Family  Instructor,  and  other  pieces,  has  imitated  it 
with  success;  and  Richardson  has  done  the  same  in  his 
Pamela,  etc. 

20  When  we  drew  near  the  island,  we  found  it  was  at  a 
place  where  there  could  be  no  landing,  there  being  a 
great  surf  on  the  stony  beach.  So  we  dropped  anchor, 
and  swung  round  towards  the  shore.  Some  people  came 
down  to  the  water  edge  and  hallooed  to  us,  as  we  did  to 

25them;  but  the  wind  was  so  high,  and  the  surf  so  loud, 
that  we  could  not  hear  so  as  to  understand  each  other. 
There  were  canoes  on  the  shore,  and  we  made  signs,  and 
hallooed  that  they  should  fetch  us;  but  they  either  did 
not  understand  us,  or  thought  it  impracticable,  so  they 

30 went  away,  and  night  coming  on,  we  had  no  remedy  but 
to  wait  till  the  wind  should  abate ;  and,  in  the  meantime, 
the  boatman  and  I  concluded  to  sleep,  if  we  could;  and 
so  crowded  into  the  scuttle,  with  the  Dutchman,  who  was 
still  wet,  and  the  spray  beating  over  the  head  of  our  boat, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  25 

leaked  through  to  us,  so  that  we  were  soon  almost  as  wet  as 
he.  In  this  manner  we  lay  all  night,  with  very  little  rest ; 
but,  the  wind  abating  the  next  day,  we  made  a  shift  to 
reach  Amboy  before  night,  having  been  thirty  hours  on 
the  water,  without  victuals,  or  any  drink  but  a  bottle  of  5 
filthy  rum,  and  the  water  we  sailed  on  being  salt. 

In  the  evening  I  found  myself  very  feverish,  and  went 
in  to  bed;  but,  having  read  somewhere  that  cold  water 
drunk  plentifully  was  good  for  a  fever,  I  followed  the  pre 
scription,  sweat  plentifully  most  of  the  night,  my  fever  left  10 
me,  and  in  the  morning,  crossing  the  ferry,  I  proceeded 
on  my  journey  on  foot,  having  fifty  miles  to  Burlington, 
where  I  was  told  I  should  find  boats  that  would  carry  me 
the  rest  of  the  way  to  Philadelphia. 

It  rained  very  hard  all   the   day;   I  was  thoroughlylS 
soaked,  and  by  noon  a  good  deal  tired;  so  I  stopped  at  a 
poor  inn,  where  I  stayed  all  night,  beginning  now  to  wish 
that  I  had  never  left  home.     I  cut  so  miserable  a  figure, 
too,  that  I  found,  by  the  questions  asked  me,  I  was  sus 
pected   to   be  some   runaway  servant,  and  in  danger  of  20 
being  taken  up  on  that  suspicion.     However,  I  proceeded 
the  next  day,  and  got  in  the  evening  to  an  inn,  within 
eight  or  ten  miles  of  Burlington,  kept  by  one  Dr.  Brown. 
He  entered  into  conversation  with  me  while  I  took  some 
refreshment,   and,   finding   I   had   read  a  little,   became  2 5 
very  sociable  and  friendly.     Our  acquaintance  continued 
as  long  as  he  lived.     He  had  been,  I  imagine,  an  itinerant 
doctor,  for  there  was  no  town  in  England,  or  country  in 
Europe,  of  which  he  could  not  give  a  very  particular  ac 
count.     He   had   some   letters,    and   was   ingenious,    but  30 
much   of   an   unbeliever,   and  wickedly  undertook,  some 
years  after,  to  travesty  the  Bible  in   doggerel  verse,   as 
Cotton  had  done  Virgil.     By  this  means  he  set  many  of 
the  facts  in  a  very  ridiculous  light,  and  might  have  hurt 


26  Franklin's  Autobiography 

weak  minds  if  his  work  had  been  published;  but  it  never 
was. 

At  his  house  I  lay  that  night,  and  the  next  morning 
reached  Burlington,  but  had  the  mortification  to  find 
5  that  the  regular  boats  were  gone  a  little  before  my  coming, 
and  no  other  expected  to  go  before  Tuesday,  this  being 
Saturday;  wherefore  I  returned  to  an  old  woman  in  the 
town,  of  whom  I  had  bought  gingerbread  to  eat  on  the 
water,  and  asked  her  advice.  She  invited  me  to  lodge  at 

lOher  house  till  a  passage  by  water  should  offer;  and  being 
tired  with  my  foot  traveling,  I  accepted  the  invitation. 
She  understanding  I  was  a  printer,  would  have  had  me 
stay  at  that  town  and  follow  my  business,  being  ignorant 
of  the  stock  necessary  to  begin  with.  She  was  very  hos- 

15pitable,  gave  me  a  dinner  of  ox-cheek  with  great  good 
will,  accepting  only  of  a  pot  of  ale  in  return;  and  I 
thought  myself  fixed  till  Tuesday  should  come.  However, 
walking  in  the  evening  by  the  side  of  the  river,  a  boat 
came  by,  which  I  found  was  going  towards  Philadelphia, 

20with  several  people  in  her.  They  took  me  in,  and,  as 
there  was  no  wind,  we  rowed  all  the  way ;  and  about  mid 
night,  not  having  yet  seen  the  city,  some  of  the  company 
were  confident  we  must  have  passed  it,  and  would  row  no 
farther;  the  others  knew  not  where  we  were;  so  we  put 

25toward  the  shore,  got  into  a  creek,  landed  near  an  old 
fence,  with  the  rails  of  which  we  made  a  fire,  the  night 
being  cold,  in  October,  and  there  we  remained  till  day 
light.  Then  one  of  the  company  knew  the  place  to  be 
Cooper's  Creek,  a  little  above  Philadelphia,  which  we  saw 

30as  soon  as  we  got  out  of  the  creek,  and  arrived  there 
about  eight  or  nine  o'clock  on  the  Sunday  morning,  and 
landed  at  the  Market  Street  wharf. 

I  have  been  the  more  particular  in  this  description  of 
my  journey,  and  shall  be  so  of  my  first  entry  into  that 


Franklin's  Autobiography  27 

city,  that  you  may  in  your  mind  compare  such  unlikely 
beginnings  with  the  figure  I  have  since  made  there.  I 
was  in  my  working  dress,  my  best  clothes  being  to  come 
round  by  sea.  I  was  dirty  from  my  journey ;  my  pockets 
were  stuffed  out  with  shirts  and  stockings,  and  I  knew  no 5 
soul  nor  where  to  look  for  lodging.  I  was  fatigued  with 
traveling,  rowing,  and  want  of  rest;  I  was  very  hungry; 
and  my  whole  stock  of  cash  consisted  of  a  Dutch  dollar, 
and  about  a  shilling  in  copper.  The  latter  I  gave  the 
people  of  the  boat  for  my  passage,  who  at  first  refused  it,10 
on  account  of  my  rowing;  but  I  insisted  on  their  taking 
it — a  man  being  sometimes  more  generous  when  he  has 
but  a  little  money  than  when  he  has  plenty,  perhaps 
through  fear  of  being  thought  to  have  but  little. 

Then  I  walked  up  the  street,  gazing  about  till  near  the  15 
market-house  I  met  a  boy  with  bread.     I  had  made  many 
a  meal  on  bread,  and,  inquiring  where  he  got  it,  I  went 
immediately  to  the  baker's  he  directed  me  to,  in  Second 
Street,  and  asked  for  biscuit,  intending  such  as  we  had  in 
Boston;  but  they,  it  seems,  were  not  made  in  Philadel-20 
phia.     Then  I  asked  for  a  three-penny  loaf,  and  was  told 
they  had  none  such.     So  not  considering  or  knowing  the 
difference  of  money,  and  the  greater  cheapness  nor  the 
names   of   his   bread,   I   bade  him  give  me   three-penny 
worth  of  any  sort.     He  gave  me,  accordingly,  three  great25 
puffy  rolls.     I  was  surprised  at  the  quantity,  but  took  it, 
and,  having  no  room  in  my  pockets,  walked  off  with  a  roll 
under  each  arm,  and  eating  the  other.     Thus  I  went  up 
Market  Street  as  far  as  Fourth  Street,  passing  by  the  door 
of  Mr.  Read,  my  future  wife's  father;  when  she,  standingso 
at  the  door,  saw  me,  and  thought  I  made,  as  I  certainly 
did,   a   most   awkward,   ridiculous   appearance.     Then   I 
turned  and  went  down  Chestnut  Street  and  part  of  Walnut 
Street,  eating  my  roll  all  the  way,  and,  coming  round, 


28  Franklin's  Autobiography 

found  myself  again  at  Market  Street  wharf,  near  the  boat 

I  came  in,  to  which  I  went  for  a  draught  of  the  river 

water;  and,  being  filled  with  one  of  my  rolls,  gave  the 

other  two  to  a  woman  and  her  child  that  came  down  the 

5  river  in  the  boat  with  us,  and  were  waiting  to  go  farther. 

Thus  refreshed,  I  walked  again  up  the  street,  which  by 

this  time  had  many  clean-dressed  people  in  it,  who  were 

all  walking  the  same  way.     I  joined  them,  and  thereby 

was  led  into  the  great  meeting-house  of  the  Quakers  near 

10  the  market.  I  sat  down  among  them,  and,  after  looking 
round  awhile  and  hearing  nothing  said,  being  very  drowsy 
through  labor  and  want  of  rest  the  preceding  night,  I  fell 
fast  asleep,  and  continued  so  till  the  meeting  broke  up, 
when  one  was  kind  enough  to  rouse  me.  This  was,  there- 

15 fore,  the  first  house  I  was  in,  or  slept  in,  in  Philadelphia. 

Walking  down  again  toward  the  river,  and  looking  in 

the  faces  of  people,  I  met  a  young  Quaker  man,  whose 

countenance   I    liked,    and,   accosting   him,    requested   he 

would  tell  me  where  a  stranger  could  get  lodging.     We 

20were  then  near  the  sign  of  the  Three  Mariners.  "  Here," 
says  he,  "  is  one  place  that  entertains  strangers,  but  it  is 
not  a  reputable  house;  if  thee  wilt  walk  with  me,  I'll 
show  thee  a  better."  He  brought  me  to  the  Crooked 
Billet  in  Water  Street.  Here  I  got  a  dinner;  and,  while 

2ol  was  eating  it,  several  sly  questions  were  asked  me,  as  it 
seemed  to  be  suspected  from  my  youth  and  appearance 
that  I  might  be  some  runaway. 

After  dinner,  my  sleepiness  returned,  and  being  shown 
to  a  bed,  I  lay  down  without  undressing,  and  slept  till  six 

30in  the  evening,  was  called  to  supper,  went  to  bed  again 
very  early,  and  slept  soundly  till  next  morning.  Then  1 
made  myself  as  tidy  as  I  could,  and  went  to  Andrew 
Bradford,  the  printer's.  I  found  in  the  shop  the  old  man, 
his  father,  whom  I  had  seen  at  New  York,  and  who, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  29 

traveling  on  horseback,  had  got  to  Philadelphia  before 
me.  He  introduced  me  to  his  son,  who  received  me 
civilly,  gave  me  a  breakfast,  but  told  me  he  did  not  at 
present  want  a  hand,  being  lately  supplied  with  one;  but 
there  was  another  printer  in  town,  lately  set  up,  one 5 
Keimer,  who,  perhaps,  might  employ  me;  if  not,  I  should 
be  welcome  to  lodge  at  his  house,  and  he  would  give  me 
a  little  work  to  do  now  and  then  till  fuller  business  should 
offer. 

The  old  gentleman  said  he  would  go  with  me  to  the  10 
new  printer;  and  when  we  found  him,  "  Neighbor,"  says 
Bradford,  "  I  have  brought  to  see  you  a  young  man  of 
your  business;  perhaps  you  may  want  such  a  one."  He 
asked  me  a  few  questions,  put  a  composing  stick  in  my 
hand  to  see  how  I  worked,  and  then  said  he  would  em-i5 
ploy  me  soon,  though  he  had  just  then  nothing  for  me  to 
do;  and,  taking  old  Bradford,  whom  he  had  never  seen 
before,  to  be  one  of  the  town's  people  that  had  a  good 
will  for  him,  entered  into  a  conversation  on  his  present 
undertaking  and  prospects:  while  Bradford,  not  discov-20 
ering  that  he  was  the  other  printer's  father,  on  Keimer's 
saying  he  expected  soon  to  get  the  greatest  part  of  the 
business  into  his  own  hands,  drew  him  on  by  artful  ques 
tions,  and  starting  little  doubts,  to  explain  all  his  views, 
what  interest  he  relied  on,  and  in  what  manner  he  in- 2  5 
tended  to  proceed.  I,  who  stood  by  and  heard  all,  saw 
immediately  that  one  of  them  was  a  crafty  old  sophister, 
and  the  other  a  mere  novice.  Bradford  left  me  with 
Keimer,  who  was  greatly  surprised  when  I  told  him  who 
the  old  man  was.  30 

Keimer's  printing-house,  I  found,  consisted  of  an  old 
shattered  press,  and  one  small,  worn-out  font  of  English, 
which  he  was  then  using  himself,  composing  an  Elegy  on 
Aquilla  Rose,  before  mentioned,  an  ingenious  young  man. 


30  Franklin's  Autobiography 

of  excellent  character,  much  respected  in  the  town,  clerk 
of  the  Assembly,  and  a  pretty  poet.  Keimer  made  verses 
too,  but  very  indifferently.  He  could  not  be  said  to  write 
them,  for  his  manner  was  to  compose  them  in  the  types 
5 directly  out  of  his  head.  So  there  being  no  copy,  but 
one  pair  of  cases,  and  the  Elegy  likely  to  require  all  the 
letter,  no  one  could  help  him.  I  endeavored  to  put  his 
press  (which  he  had  not  yet  used,  and  of  which  he  under 
stood  nothing)  into  order  fit  to  be  worked  with;  and, 

lOpromising  to  come  and  print  off  his  Elegy  as  soon  as  he 
should  have  got  it  ready,  I  returned  to  Bradford's,  who 
gave  me  a  little  job  to  do  for  the  present,  and  there  I 
lodged  and  dieted.  A  few  days  after,  Keimer  sent  for  me 
to  print  off  the  Elegy.  And  now  he  had  got  another  pair 

15of  cases,  and  a  pamphlet  to  reprint,  on  which  he  set  me 
to  work. 

These  two  printers  I  found  poorly  qualified  for  their 
business.  Bradford  had  not  been  bred  to  it,  and  was 
very  illiterate ;  and  Keimer,  though  something  of  a  scholar, 

20was  a  mere  compositor,  knowing  nothing  of  presswork. 
He  had  been  one  of  the  French  prophets,  and  could  act 
their  enthusiastic  agitations.  At  this  time  he  did  not  pro 
fess  any  particular  religion,  but  something  of  all  on  occa 
sion;  was  very  ignorant  of  the  world,  and  had,  as  I 

25afterward  found,  a  good  deal  of  the  knave  in  his  com 
position.  He  did  not  like  my  lodging  at  Bradford's  while 
I  worked  with  him.  He  had  a  house,  indeed,  but  without 
furniture,  so  he  could  not  lodge  me;  but  he  got  me  a 
lodging  at  Mr.  Read's,  before  mentioned,  who  was  the 

Soowner  of  his  house;  and,  my  chest  and  clothes  being 
come  by  this  time,  I  made  rather  a  more  respectable 
appearance  in  the  eyes  of  Miss  Read  than  I  had  done 
when  she  first  happened  to  see  me  eating  my  roll  in  the 
street. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  31 

I  began  now  to  have  some  acquaintance  among  the 
young  people  of  the  town,  that  were  lovers  of  reading, 
with  whom  I  spent  my  evenings  very  pleasantly;  and 
gaining  money  by  my  industry  and  frugality,  I  lived  very 
agreeably,  forgetting  Boston  as  much  as  I  could,  and  not  5 
desiring  that  any  there  should  know  where  I  resided, 
except  my  friend  Collins,  who  was  in  my  secret,  and 
kept  it  when  I  wrote  to  him.  At  length,  an  incident 
happened  that  sent  me  back  again  much  sooner  than  I 
had  intended.  I  had  a  brother-in-law,  Robert  Holmes,  10 
master  of  a  sloop  that  traded  between  Boston  and  Dela 
ware.  He  being  at  Newcastle,  forty  miles  below  Phila 
delphia,  heard  there  of  me,  and  wrote  me  a  letter  men 
tioning  the  concern  of  my  friends  in  Boston  at  my  ab 
rupt  departure,  assuring  me  of  their  good  will  to  me,  15 
and  that  everything  would  be  accommodated  to  my  mind 
if  I  would  return^  to  which  he  exhorted  me  very  earnestly. 
I  wrote  an  answer  to  his  letter,  thanked  him  for  his  advice, 
but  stated  my  reasons  for  quitting  Boston  fully  and  in  such 
a  light  as  to  convince  him  I  was  not  so  wrong  as  he  had 20 
apprehended. 

IV 
FIRST  VISIT  TO  BOSTON 

SIR  WILLIAM  KEITH,  governor  of  the  province,  was 
then  at  Newcastle,  and  Captain  Holmes,  happening  to  be 
in  company  with  him  when  my  letter  came  to  hand,  spoke 
to  him  of  me,  and  showed  him  the  letter.  The  governor25 
read  it,  and  seemed  surprised  when  he  was  told  my  age. 
He  said  I  appeared  a  young  man  of  promising  parts,  and 
therefore  should  be  encouraged;  the  printers  at  Philadel 
phia  were  wretched  ones;  and,  if  I  would  set  up  there, 


32  Franklin's  Autobiography 

he  made  no  doubt  I  should  succeed;  for  his  part,  he 
would  procure  me  the  public  business,  and  do  me  every 
other  service  in  his  power.  This  my  brother-in-law  after 
wards  told  me  in  Boston,  but  I  knew  as  yet  nothing  of 

Bit;  when,  one  day,  Keimer  and  I  being  at  work  together 
near  the  window,  we  saw  the  governor  and  another  gen 
tleman  (which  proved  to  be  Colonel  French,  of  Newcas 
tle),  finely  dressed,  come  directly  across  the  street  to  our 
house,  and  heard  them  at  the  door. 

10  Keimer  ran  down  immediately,  thinking  it  a  visit  to 
him;  but  the  governor  inquired  for  me,  came  up,  and 
with  a  condescension  and  politeness  I  had  been  quite 
unused  to,  made  me  many  compliments,  desired  to  be  ac 
quainted  with  me,  blamed  me  kindly  for  not  having  made 

15myself  known  to  him  when  I  first  came  to  the  place,  and 
would  have  me  away  with  him  to  the  tavern,  where  he 
was  going  with  Colonel  French  to  taste,  as  he  said,  some 
excellent  Madeira.  I  was  not  a  little  surprised,  and 
Keimer  stared  like  a  pig  poisoned.  I  went,  however,  with 

20the  governor  and  Colonel  French  to  a  tavern,  at  the  cor 
ner  of  Third  Street,  and  over  the  Madeira  he  proposed 
my  setting  up  my  business,  laid  before  me  the  probabilities 
of  success,  and  both  he  and  Colonel  French  assured  me 
I  should  have  their  interest  and  influence  in  procuring 

26the  public  business  of  both  governments.  On  my  doubt 
ing  whether  my  father  would  assist  me  in  it,  Sir  William 
said  he  would  give  me  a  letter  to  him,  in  which  he  would 
state  the  advantages,  and  he  did  not  doubt  of  prevailing 
with  him.  So  it  was  concluded  I  should  return  to  Boston 

30in  the  first  vessel,  with  the  governor's  letter  recommend 
ing  me  to  my  father.  In  the  meantime  the  intention 
was  to  be  kept  a  secret,  and  I  went  on  working  with 
Keimer  as  usual,  the  governor  sending  for  me  now  and 
then  to  dine  with  him,  a  very  great  honor  I  thought  it. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  33 

and  conversing  with  me  in  the  most  affable,  familiar,  and 
friendly  manner  imaginable. 

About  the  end  of  April,  1724,  a  little  vessel  offered  for 
Boston.  I  took  leave  of  Keimer  as  going  to  see  my 
friends.  The  governor  gave  me  an  ample  letter,  sayings 
many  flattering  things  of  me  to  my  father,  and  strongly 
recommending  the  project  of  my  setting  up  at  Philadel 
phia  as  a  thing  that  must  make  my  fortune.  We  struck 
on  a  shoal  in  going  down  the  bay,  and  sprung  a  leak;  we 
had  a  blustering  time  at  sea,  and  were  obliged  to  pump  10 
almost  continually,  at  which  I  took  my  turn.  We  arrived 
safe,  however,  at  Boston  in  about  a  fortnight.  I  had 
been  absent  seven  months,  and  my  friends  had  heard 
nothing  of  me;  for  my  brother  Holmes  was  not  yet  re 
turned,  and  had  not  written  about  me.  My  unexpectedlB 
appearance  surprised  the  family;  all  were,  however,  very 
glad  to  see  me,  and  made  me  welcome,  except  my  brother. 
I  went  to  see  him  at  his  printing-house.  I  was  better 
dressed  than  ever  while  in  his  service,  having  a  genteel 
new  suit  from  head  to  foot,  a  watch,  and  my  pockets 20 
lined  with  near  five  pounds  sterling  in  silver.  He  re 
ceived  me  not  very  frankly,  looked  me  all  over,  and  turned 
to  his  work  again. 

The  journeymen  were  inquisitive  where  I  had  been, 
what  sort  of  a  country  it  was,  and  how  I  liked  it.  1 25 
praised  it  much,  and  the  happy  life  I  led  in  it,  expressing 
strongly  my  intention  of  returning  to  it ;  and,  one  of  them 
asking  what  kind  of  money  we  had  there,  I  produced  a 
handful  of  silver,  and  spread  it  before  them,  which  was 
a  kind  of  raree-show  they  had  not  been  used  to,  paperSO 
being  the  money  of  Boston.  Then  I  took  an  opportunity 
of  letting  them  see  my  watch;  and,  lastly  (my  brother 
still  grum  and  sullen),  I  gave  them  a  piece  of  eight  to 
drink,  and  took  my  leave.  This  visit  of  mine  offended 


34  Franklin's  Autobiography 

him  extremely;  for,  when  my  mother  some  time  after 
spoke  to  him  of  a  reconciliation,  and  of  her  wishes  to  see 
us  on  good  terms  together,  and  that  we  might  live  for  the 
future  as  brothers,  he  said  I  had  insulted  him  in  such  a 
5 manner  before  his  people  that  he  could  never  forget  or 
forgive  it.  In  this,  however,  he  was  mistaken. 

My  father  received  the  governor's  letter  with  some  ap 
parent  surprise,  but  said  little  of  it  to  me  for  some  days, 

.    when  Capt.  Holmes  returning,  he  showed  it  to  him,  asked 

lOhim  if  he  knew  Keith,  and  what  kind  of  man  he  was; 
adding  his  opinion  that  he  must  be  of  small  discretion  to 
think  of  setting  a  boy  up  in  business  who  wanted  yet  three 
years  of  being  at  man's  estate.  Holmes  said  what  he 
could  in  favor  of  the  project,  but  my  father  was  clear  in 

15the  impropriety  of  it,  and  at  last  gave  a  flat  denial  to  it. 
Then  he  wrote  a  civil  letter  to  Sir  William,  thanking  him 
for  the  patronage  he  had  so  kindly  offered  me,  but  declin 
ing  to  assist  me  as  yet  in  setting  up,  I  being,  in  his  opin 
ion,  too  young  to  be  trusted  with  the  management  of  a 

20business  so  important,  and  for  which  the  preparation  must 
be  so  expensive. 

My  friend  and  companion  Collins,  who  was  a  clerk  in 
the  post-office,  pleased  with  the  account  I  gave  him  of 
my  new  country,  determined  to  go  thither  also;  and, 

2 5 while  I  waited  for  my  father's  determination,  he  set  out 
before  me  by  land  to  Rhode  Island,  leaving  his  books, 
which  were  a  pretty  collection  of  mathematics  and  natu 
ral  philosophy,  to  come  with  mine  and  me  to  New  York, 
where  he  proposed  to  wait  for  me. 

30  My  father,  though  he  did  not  approve  Sir  William's 
proposition,  was  yet  pleased  that  I  had  been  able  to  obtain 
so  advantageous  a  character  from  a  person  of  such  note 
where  I  had  resided,  and  that  I  had  been  so  industrious 
and  careful  as  to  equip  myself  so  handsomely  in  so  short 


Franklin's  Autobiography  35 

a  time;  therefore,  seeing  no  prospect  of  an  accommoda 
tion  between  my  brother  and  me,  he  gave  his  consent  to 
my  returning  again  to  Philadelphia,  advised  me  to  behave 
respectfully  to  the  people  there,  endeavor  to  obtain  the 
general  esteem,  and  avoid  lampooning  and  libeling,  to 5 
which  he  thought  I  had  too  much  inclination ;  telling  me, 
that  by  steady  industry  and  a  prudent  parsimony  I  might 
save  enough  by  the  time  I  was  one-and-twenty  to  set  me 
up;  and  that,  if  I  came  near  the  matter,  he  would  help 
me  out  with  the  rest.  This  was  all  I  could  obtain,  except  10 
some  small  gifts  as  tokens  of  his  and  my  mother's  love, 
when  I  embarked  again  for  New  York,  now  with  their 
approbation  and  their  blessing. 

The  sloop  putting  in  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  I 
visited   my   brother  John,   who   had   been   married   and  15 
settled  there  some  years.     He  received  me  very  affection 
ately,  for  he  always  loved  me.     A  friend  of  his,  one  Ver- 
non,  having  some  money  due  to  him  in   Pennsylvania, 
about  thirty-five  pounds  currency,  desired  I  would  receive 
it  for  him,  and  keep  it  till   I  had  his  directions  what20 
to    remit    it    in.     Accordingly,    he    gave   me    an    order. 
This  afterwards  occasioned  me  a  good  deal  of  uneasi 
ness. 

At  Newport  we  took  in  a  number  of  passengers  for 
New  York,  among  which  were  two  young  women,  com- 2 5 
panions,  and  a  grave,  sensible,  matronlike  Quaker  woman, 
with  her  attendants.  I  had  shown  an  obliging  readiness 
to  do  her  some  little  services,  which  impressed  her  I  sup 
pose  with  a  degree  of  good  will  toward  me;  therefore, 
when  she  saw  a  daily  growing  familiarity  between  me  and  30 
the  two  young  women,  which  they  appeared  to  encourage, 
she  took  me  aside,  and  said,  "Young  man,  I  am  con 
cerned  for  thee,  as  thou  hast  no  friend  with  thee,  and 
seemest  not  to  know  much  o$  the  world,  or  of  the  snares 


36  Franklin's  Autobiography 

youth  is  exposed  to;  depend  upon  it,  those  are  very  bad 
women;  I  can  see  it  in  all  their  actions;  and  if  thee  art 
not  upon  thy  guard,  they  will  draw  thee  into  some  dan 
ger;  they  are  strangers  to  thee,  and  I  advise  thee,  in  a 
5 friendly  concern  for  thy  welfare,  to  have  no  acquaintance 
with  them."  As  I  seemed  at  first  not  to  think  so  ill  of 
them  as  she  did,  she  mentioned  some  things  she  had 
observed  and  heard  that  had  escaped  my  notice,  but  now 
convinced  me  she  was  right.  I  thanked  her  for  her  kind 

lOadvice,  and  promised  to  follow  it.  When  we  arrived  at 
New  York,  they  told  me  where  they  lived,  and  invited 
me  to  come  and  see  them;  but  I  avoided  it,  and  it  was 
well  I  did;  for  the  next  day  the  captain  missed  a  silver 
spoon  and  some  other  things,  that  had  been  taken  out  of 

15 his  cabin,  and,  knowing  that  these  were  a  couple  of 
thieves,  he  got  a  warrant  to  search  their  lodgings,  found 
the  stolen  goods,  and  had  the  thieves  punished.  So,  though 
we  had  escaped  a  sunken  rock,  which  we  scraped  upon  in 
the  passage,  I  thought  this  escape  of  rather  more  impor- 

20tance  to  me. 

At  New  York  I  found  my  friend  Collins,  who  had 
arrived  there  some  time  before  me.  We  had  been  intimate 
from  children,  and  had  read  the  same  books  together; 
but  he  had  the  advantage  of  more  time  for  reading  and 

25studying,  and  a  wonderful  genius  for  mathematical  learn 
ing,  in  which  he  far  outstripped  me.  While  I  lived  in 
Boston,  most  of  my  hours  of  leisure  for  conversation 
were  spent  with  him,  and  he  continued  a  sober  as  well  as 
an  industrious  lad ;  was  much  respected  for  his  learning  by 

30several  of  the  clergy  and  other  gentlemen,  and  seemed  to 
promise  making  a  good  figure  in  life.  But,  during  my 
absence,  he  had  acquired  a  habit  of  sotting  with  brandy  j 
and  I  found  by  his  own  account,  and  what  I  heard  from 
others,  that  he  had  been  drunk  every  day  since  his  ar- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  37 

rival  at  New  York,  and  behaved  very  oddly.  He  had 
gamed,  too,  and  lost  his  money,  so  that  I  was  obliged  to 
discharge  his  lodgings,  and  defray  his  expenses  to  and  at 
Philadelphia,  which  proved  extremely  inconvenient  to  me. 

The  then  governor  of  New  York,  Burnet  (son  of  Bishop 5 
Burnet),  hearing  from  the  captain  that  a  young  man, 
one  of  his  passengers,  had  a  great  many  books,  desired 
he  would  bring  me  to  see  him.  I  waited  upon  him  ac 
cordingly,  and  should  have  taken  Collins  with  me  but  that 
he  was  not  sober.  The  governor  treated  me  with  great  10 
civility,  showed  me  his  library,  which  was  a  very  large 
one,  and  we  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  about  books 
and  authors.  This  was  the  second  governor  who  had 
done  me  the  honor  to  take  notice  of  me ;  which,  to  a  poor 
boy  like  me,  was  very  pleasing.  15 

We  proceeded  to  Philadelphia.  I  received  on  the 
way  Vernon's  money,  without  which  we  could  hardly  have 
finished  our  journey.  Collins  wished  to  be  employed  in 
some  counting-house;  but,  whether  they  discovered  his 
dramming  by  his  breath,  or  by  his  behavior,  though  he 20 
had  some  recommendations,  he  met  with  no  success  in 
any  application,  and  continued  lodging  and  boarding  at 
the  same  house  with  me,  and  at  my  expense.  Knowing 
I  had  that  money  of  Vernon's,  he  was  continually  borrow 
ing  of  me,  still  promising  repayment  as  soon  as  he  should  2  5 
be  in  business.  At  length  he  had  got  so  much  of  it  that 
I  was  distressed  to  think  what  I  should  do  in  case  of 
being  called  on  to  remit  it. 

His  drinking  continued,  about  which  we  sometimes 
quarreled;  for,  when  a  little  intoxicated,  he  was  very 30 
fractious.  Once,  in  a  boat  on  the  Delaware  with  some 
other  young  men,  he  refused  to  row  in  his  turn.  "  I  will 
be  rowed  home,"  says  he.  "  We  will  not  row  you,"  says 
I.  "  You  must,  or  stay  all  night  on  the  water,"  says  he, 


38  Franklin's  Autobiography 

"  just  as  you  please."  The  others  said,  "  Let  us  row ;  what 
signifies  it?  "  But,  my  mind  being  soured  with  his  other 
conduct,  I  continued  to  refuse.  So  he  swore  he  would 
make  me  row,  or  throw  me  overboard ;  and  coming  along, 
Sstepping  on  the  thwarts,  toward  me,  when  he  came  up 
and  struck  at  me,  I  clapped  my  hand  under  his  crotch, 
and,  rising,  pitched  him  head-foremost  into  the  river.  I 
knew  he  was  a  good  swimmer,  and  so  was  under  little 
concern  about  him;  but  before  he  could  get  round  to 

lolay  hold  of  the  boat,  we  had  with  a  few  strokes  pulled  her 
out  of  his  reach;  and  ever  when  he  drew  near  the  boat, 
we  asked  if  he  would  row,  striking  a  few  strokes  to  slide 
her  away  from  him.  He  was  ready  to  die  with  vexation, 
and  obstinately  would  not  promise  to  row.  However, 

ir,seeing  him  at  last  beginning  to  tire,  we  lifted  him  in  and 
brought  him  home  dripping  wet  in  the  evening.  We 
hardly  exchanged  a  civil  word  afterwards,  and  a  West 
India  captain  who  had  a  commission  to  procure  a  tutor 
for  the  sons  of  a  gentleman  at  Barbados,  happening  to 

20meet  with  him,  agreed  to  carry  him  thither.  He  left  me 
then,  promising  to  remit  me  the  first  money  he  should 
receive  in  order  to  discharge  the  debt ;  but  I  never  heard  of 
him  after. 

The  breaking  into  this  money  of  Vernon's  was  one  of 

25the  first  great  errata  of  my  life;  and  this  affair  showed 
that  my  father  was  not  much  out  in  his  judgment  when 
he  supposed  me  too  young  to  manage  business  of  impor 
tance.  But  Sir  William,  on  reading  his  letter,  said  he 
was  too  prudent.  There  was  great  difference  in  persons; 

30and  discretion  did  not  always  accompany  years,  nor  was 
youth  always  without  it.  "  And  since  he  will  not  set 
you  up,"  says  he,  "  I  will  do  it  myself.  Give  me  an 
inventory  of  the  things  necessary  to  be  had  from  England, 
and  I  will  send  for  them.  You  shall  repay  me  when  you 


Franklin's  Autobiography  39 

are  able;  I  am  resolved  to  have  a  good  printer  here,  and 
I  am  sure  you  must  succeed."  This  was  spoken  with 
such  an  appearance  of  cordiality,  that  I  had  not  the  least 
doubt  of  his  meaning  what  he  said.  I  had  hitherto  kept 
the  proposition  of  my  setting  up,  a  secret  in  Philadelphia,  5 
and  I  still  kept  it.  Had  it  been  known  that  I  depended 
on  the  governor,  probably  some  friend,  that  knew  him 
better,  would  have  advised  me  not  to  rely  on  him,  as  I 
afterwards  heard  it  as  his  known  character  to  be  liberal 
of  promises  which  he  never  meant  to  keep.  Yet,  unsolic-10 
ited  as  he  was  by  me,  how  could  I  think  his  generous 
offers  insincere?  I  believed  him  one  of  the  best  men  in 
the  world. 

I  presented  him  an  inventory  of  a  little  printing-house, 
amounting  by  my  computation  to  about  one  hundred  15 
pounds  sterling.  He  liked  it,  but  asked  me  if  my  being 
on  the  spot  in  England  to  choose  the  types,  and  see  that 
everything  was  good  of  the  kind,  might  not  be  of  some 
advantage.  "  Then,"  says  he,  "  when  there,  you  may 
make  acquaintances,  and  establish  correspondences  in 20 
the  bookselling  and  stationery  way."  I  agreed  that  this 
might  be  advantageous.  "  Then,"  says  he,  "  get  yourself 
ready  to  go  with  Annis ;  "  which  was  the  annual  ship,  and 
the  only  one  at  that  time  usually  passing  between  London 
and  Philadelphia.  But  it  would  be  some  months  before 25 
Annis  sailed,  so  I  continued  working  with  Keimer,  fretting 
about  the  money  Collins  had  got  from  me,  and  in  daily 
apprehensions  of  being  called  upon  by  Vernon,  which, 
however,  did  not  happen  for  some  years  after. 

I  believe  I  have  omitted  mentioning  that,  in  my  first  30 
voyage   from   Boston,   being  becalmed  off   Block   Island, 
our  people  set  about  catching  cod,  and  hauled  up  a  great 
many.     Hitherto  I  had  stuck  to  my  resolution  of  not  eat 
ing  animal  food,  and  on  this  occasion  I  considered,  with 


4O  Franklin's  Autobiography 

my  master  Tryon,  the  taking  every  fish  as  a  kind  of  un 
provoked  murder,  since  none  of  them  had,  or  ever  could 
do  us  any  injury  that  might  justify  the  slaughter.  All  this 
seemed  very  reasonable.  But  I  had  formerly  been  a 
5 great  lover  of  fish,  and,  when  this  came  hot  out  of  the 
frying-pan,  it  smelt  admirably  well.  I  balanced  some  time 
between  principle  and  inclination,  till  I  recollected  that, 
when  the  fish  were  opened,  I  saw  smaller  fish  taken  out 
of  their  stomachs;  then  thought  I,  "If  you  eat  one 

lOanother,  I  don't  see  why  we  mayn't  eat  you."  So  I  dined 
upon  cod  very  heartily,  and  continued  to  eat  with  other 
people,  returning  only  now  and  then  occasionally  to  a 
vegetable  diet.  So  convenient  a  thing  is  it  to  be  a  reason 
able  creature t  since  it  enables  one  to  find  or  make  a  reason 

15  for  everything  one  has  a  mind  to  do. 

V 
EARLY  FRIENDS  IN  PHILADELPHIA 

KEIMER  and  I  lived  on  a  pretty  good  familiar  footing, 
and  agreed  tolerably  well,  for  he  suspected  nothing  of  my 
setting  up.  He  retained  a  great  deal  of  his  old  enthu 
siasms  and  loved  argumentation.  We  therefore  had 

20many  disputations.  I  used  to  work  him  so  with  my 
Socratic  method,  and  had  trepanned  him  so  often  by 
questions  apparently  so  distant  from  any  point  we  had  in 
hand,  and  yet  by  degrees  led  to  the  point,  and  brought 
him  into  difficulties  and  contradictions,  that  at  last  he 

25grew  ridiculously  cautious,  and  would  hardly  answer  me 
the  most  common  question,  without  asking  first,  ft  What 
do  you  intend  to  infer  from  that?  "  However,  it  gave  him 
so  high  an  opinion  of  my  abilities  in  the  confuting  way, 
that  he  seriously  proposed  my  being  his  colleague  in  a 


Franklin's  Autobiography  41 

project  he  had  of  setting  up  a  new  sect.  He  was  to 
preach  the  doctrines,  and  I  was  to  confound  all  op 
ponents.  When  he  came  to  explain  with  me  upon  the 
doctrines,  I  found  several  conundrums  which  I  objected 
to,  unless  I  might  have  my  way  a  little  too,  and  introduces 
some  of  mine. 

Keimer  wore  his  beard  at  full  length,  because  some 
where  in  the  Mosaic  law  it  is  said,  "  Thou  shall  not  mar 
the  corners  of  thy  beard."  He  likewise  kept  the  Seventh 
day,  Sabbath;  and  these  two  points  were  essentials  withio 
him.  I  disliked  both;  but  agreed  to  admit  them  upon 
condition  of  his  adopting  the  doctrine  of  using  no  animal 
food.  "  I  doubt,"  said  he,  "  my  constitution  will  not  bear 
that."  I  assured  him  it  would,  and  that  he  would  be  the 
better  for  it.  He  was  usually  a  great  glutton,  and  I  prom-15 
ised  myself  some  diversion  in  half  starving  him.  He 
agreed  to  try  the  practice,  if  I  would  keep  him  company. 
I  did  so,  and  we  held  it  for  three  months.  We  had  our 
victuals  dressed,  and  brought  to  us  regularly  by  a  woman 
in  the  neighborhood,  who  had  from  me  a  list  of  forty 20 
dishes,  to  be  prepared  for  us  at  different  times,  in  all 
which  there  was  neither  fish,  flesh,  nor  fowl,  and  the  wrhim 
suited  me  the  better  at  this  time  from  the  cheapness  of 
it,  not  costing  us  above  eighteenpence  sterling  each  per 
week.  I  have  since  kept  several  Lents  most  strictly,  leav-25 
ing  the  common  diet  for  that,  and  that  for  the  common, 
abruptly,  without  the  least  inconvenience,  so  that  I  think 
there  is  little  in  the  advice  of  making  those  changes  by 
easy  gradations.  I  went  on  pleasantly,  but  poor  Keimer 
suffered  grievously,  tired  of  the  project,  longed  for  the 30 
flesh-pots  of  Egypt,  and  ordered  a  roast  pig.  He  invited 
me  and  two  women  friends  to  dine  with  him;  but,  it 
being  brought  too  soon  upon  table,  he  could  not  resist 
the  temptation,  and  ate  the  whole  before  we  came. 


42  Franklin's  Autobiography 

I  had  made  some  courtship  during  this  time  to  Miss 
Read.  I  had  a  great  respect  and  affection  for  herw 
and  had  some  reason  to  believe  she  had  the  same  for 
me;  but,  as  I  was  about  to  take  a  long  voyage,  and  we 
5were  both  very  young,  only  a  little  above  eighteen,  it 
was  thought  most  prudent  by  her  mother  to  prevent  our 
going  too  far  at  present,  as  a  marriage,  if  it  was  to  take 
place,  would  be  more  convenient  after  my  return  when 
I  should  be,  as  I  expected,  set  up  in  my  business.  Per- 

lOhaps,  too,  she  thought  my  expectations  not  so  well  founded 
as  I  imagined  them  to  be. 

My  chief  acquaintances  at  this  time  were  Charles 
Osborne,  Joseph  Watson,  and  James  Ralph,  all  lovers  of 
reading.  The  two  first  were  clerks  to  an  eminent  scriv- 

15ener  or  conveyancer  in  the  town,  Charles  Brogden;  the 
other  was  clerk  to  a  merchant.  Watson  was  a  pious, 
sensible  young  man,  of  great  integrity;  the  others  rather 
more  lax  in  their  principles  of  religion,  particularly  Ralph, 
who,  as  well  as  Collins,  had  been  unsettled  by  me,  for 

20which  they  both  made  me  suffer.  Osborne  was  sensible, 
candid,  frank ;  sincere  and  affectionate  to  his  friends ;  but, 
in  literary  matters,  too  fond  of  criticizing.  Ralph  was  in 
genious,  genteel  in  his  manners,  and  extremely  eloquent; 
I  think  I  never  knew  a  prettier  talker.  Both  of  them 

25were  great  admirers  of  poetry,  and  began  to  try  their  hands 
in  little  pieces.     Many  pleasant  walks  we  four  had  to 
gether  on  Sundays  into  the  woods,  near  Schuylkill,  where 
we  read  to  one  another,  and  conferred  on  what  we  read. 
Ralph  was  inclined  to  pursue  the  study  of  poetry,  not 

SOdoubting  but  he  might  become  eminent  in  it,  and  make 
his  fortune  by  it,  alleging  that  the  best  poets  must,  when 
they  first  began  to  write,  make  as  many  faults  as  he  did. 
Osborne  dissuaded  him,  assured  him  he  had  no  genius  for 
poetry,  and  advised  him  to  think  of  nothing  beyond  the 


Franklin's  Autobiography  43 

business  he  was  bred  to ;  that,  in  the  mercantile  way,  though 
he  had  no  stock,  he  might,  by  his  diligence  and  punctual 
ity,  recommend  himself  to  employment  as  a  factor,  and 
in  time  acquire  wherewith  to  trade  on  his  own  account. 
I  approved  the  amusing  one's  self  with  poetry  now  and 5 
then,  so  far  as  to  improve  one's  language,  but  no  farther. 

On  this  it  was  proposed  that  we  should  each  of  us,  at 
our  next  meeting,  produce  a  piece  of  our  own  composing, 
in  order  to  improve  by  our  mutual  observations,  criti 
cisms,  and  corrections.     As  language  and  expression  were  10 
what  we  had  in  view,  we  excluded  all  considerations  of 
invention  by  agreeing  that  the  task  should  be  a  version 
of  the  eighteenth  Psalm,  which  describes  the  descent  of  a 
Deity.     When  the  time  of  our  meeting  drew  nigh,  Ralph 
called  on  me  first,  and  let  me  know  his  piece  was  ready.  15 
I  told  him  I  had  been  busy,  and,  having,  little  inclination, 
had  done  nothing.     He  then  showed  me  his  piece  for  my 
opinion,  and  I  much  approved  it,  as  it  appeared  to  me 
to  have  great  merit.     "  Now,"  says  he,  "  Osborne  never 
will  allow  the  least  merit  in  anything  of  mine,  but  makes  20 
1000  criticisms  out  of  mere  envy.     He  is  not  so  jealous 
of  you ;  I  wish,  therefore,  you  would  take  this  piece,  and 
produce  it  as  yours;  I  will  pretend  not  to  have  had  time, 
and  so  produce  nothing.     We  shall  then  see  what  he  will 
say  to  it."     It  was  agreed,  and  I  immediately  transcribed 25 
it,  that  it  might  appear  in  my  own  hand. 

We  met;  Watson's  performance  was  read;  there  were 
some  beauties  in  it,  but  many  defects.  Osborne's  was 
read;  it  was  much  better;  Ralph  did  it  justice;  re 
marked  some  faults,  but  applauded  the  beauties.  He  30 
himself  had  nothing  to  produce.  I  was  backward  ;  seemed 
desirous  of  being  excused;  had  not  had  sufficient  time 
to  correct,  etc.;  but  no  excuse  could  be  admitted;  pro 
duce  I  must.  It  was  read  and  repeated;  Watson  and 


44  Franklin's  Autobiography 

Osborne  gave  up  the  contest,  and  joined  in  applauding  it. 
Ralph  only  made  some  criticisms,  and  proposed  some 
amendments;  but  I  defended  my  text.  Osborne  was 
against  Ralph,  and  told  him  he  was  no  better  a  critic 
5 than  poet,  so  he  dropped  the  argument.  As  they  two  went 
home  together,  Osborne  expressed  himself  still  more 
strongly  in  favor  of  wrhat  he  thought  my  production ; 
having  restrained  himself  before,  as  he  said,  lest  I  should 
think  it  flattery.  "  But  who  would  have  imagined,"  said 

lOhe,  "that  Franklin  had  been  capable  of  such  a  perform 
ance;  such  painting,  such  force,  such  fire!  He  has  even 
improved  the  original.  In  his  common  conversation  he 
seems  to  have  no  choice  of  words;  he  hesitates  and 
blunders;  and  yet,  good  God!  how  he  writes!"  When 

15 we  next  met,  Ralph  discovered  the  trick  we  had  played 
him,  and  Osborne  was  a  little  laughed  at. 

This  transaction  fixed  Ralph  in  his  resolution  of  be 
coming  a  poet.  I  did  all  I  could  to  dissuade  him  from 
it,  but  he  continued  scribbling  verses  till  Pope  cured  him. 

20He  became,  however,  a  pretty  good  prose  writer.  More 
of  him  hereafter.  But,  as  I  may  not  have  occasion  again 
to  mention  the  other  two,  I  shall  just  remark  here,  that 
Watson  died  in  my  arms  a  few  years  after,  much  lamented, 
being  the  best  of  our  set.  Osborne  went  to  the  West 

25lndies,  where  he  became  an  eminent  lawyer  and  made 
money,  but  died  young.  He  and  I  had  made  a  serious 
agreement,  that  the  one  who  happened  first  to  die  should, 
if  possible,  make  a  friendly  visit  to  the  other,  and  acquaint 
him  how  he  found  things  in  that  separate  state.  But  he 

SOnever  fulfilled  his  promise. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  45 

VI 
FIRST  VISIT  TO  LONDON 

THE  governor,  seeming  to  like  my  company,  had  me 
frequently  to  his  house,  and  his  setting  me  up  was  always 
mentioned  as  a  fixed  thing.     I  was  to  take  with  me  Ietters5 
recommendatory  to  a  number  of  his  friends,  besides  the 
letter  of  credit  to  furnish  me  with  the  necessary  money 
for  purchasing  the  press  and  types,  paper,  etc.     For  these 
letters  I  was  appointed  to  call  at  different  times,  when 
they  were  to  be  ready;  but  a  future  time  was  still  named.  10 
Thus   he   went   on    till    the   ship,    whose   departure   too 
had  been  several  times  postponed,  was  on  the  point  of 
sailing.     Then,    when    I    called    to    take   my   leave   and 
receive  the  letters,  his  secretary,  Dr.  Bard,  came  out  to 
me  and  said  the  governor  was  extremely  busy  in  writing,  15 
but  would  be  down  at  Newcastle  before  the  ship,  and 
there  the  letters  would  be  delivered  to  me. 

Ralph,  though  married,  and  having  one  child,  had  de 
termined    to    accompany    me    in    this    voyage.     It    was 
thought  he  intended  to  establish  a  correspondence,  and  20 
obtain  goods  to  sell  on  commission;  but  I  found  after 
wards,  that,  through  some  discontent  with  his  wife's  rela 
tions,  he  purposed  to  leave  her  on  their  hands,  and  never 
return  again.     Having  taken  leave  of  my  friends,  and 
interchanged  some  promises  with  Miss  Read,  I  left  Phila-25 
delphia  in  the  ship,  which  anchored  at  Newcastle.     The 
governor  was  there;  but  when  I  went  to  his  lodging,  the 
secretary  came  to  me  from  him  with  the  civilest  message 
in  the  world,  that  he  could  not  then  see  me,  being  en 
gaged  in  business  of  the  utmost  importance,  but  should 2? 
send  the  letters  to  me  on  board,  wished  me  heartily  a 


46  Franklin's  Autobiography 

good  voyage  and   a  speedy  return,  etc.     I   returned  on 
board  a  little  puzzled,  but  still  not  doubting. 

Mr.  Andrew  Hamilton,  a  famous  lawyer  of  Philadel 
phia,  had  taken  passage  in  the  same  ship  for  himself  and 
5son,  and  with  Mr.  Denham,  a  Quaker  merchant,  and 
Messrs.  Onion  and  Russel,  masters  of  an  iron  work  in 
Maryland,  had  engaged  the  great  cabin;  so  that  Ralph  and 
I  were  forced  to  take  up  with  a  berth  in  the  steerage,  and 
none  on  board  knowing  us,  were  considered  as  ordinary 

lOpersons.  But  Mr.  Hamilton  and  his  son  (it  was  James, 
since  governor)  returned  from  Newcastle  to  Philadelphia, 
the  father  being  recalled  by  a  great  fee  to  plead  for  a 
seized  ship;  and,  just  before  we  sailed,  Colonel  French 
coming  on  board,  and  showing  me  great  respect,  I  was 

15more  taken  notice  of,  and,  with  my  friend  Ralph,  invited 
by  the  other  gentlemen  to  come  into  the  cabin,  there 
being  now  room.  Accordingly,  we  moved  thither. 

Understanding  that  Colonel  French  had  brought  on 
board  the  governor's  despatches,  I  asked  the  captain  for 

20those  letters  that  were  to  be  under  my  care.  He  said 
all  were  put  into  the  bag  together  and  he  could  not  then 
come  at  them;  but,  before  we  landed  in  England,  I 
should  have  an  opportunity  of  picking  them  out;  so  I 
was  satisfied  for  the  present,  and  we  proceeded  on  our 

2 5 voyage.  We  had  a  sociable  company  in  the  cabin,  and 
lived  uncommonly  well,  having  the  addition  of  all  Mr. 
Hamilton's  stores,  who  had  laid  in  plentifully.  In  this 
passage  Mr.  Denham  contracted  a  friendship  for  me  that 
continued  during  his  life.  The  voyage  was  otherwise  not 

30a  pleasant  one,  as  we  had  a  great  deal  of  bad  weather. 

When  we  came  into  the  Channel,  the  captain  kept  his 
word  with  me,  and  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  examining 
the  bag  for  the  governor's  letters.  I  found  none  upon 
which  my  name  was  put  as  under  my  cire.  I  picked  out 


Franklin's  Autobiography  47 

six  or  seven,  that,  by  the  handwriting,  I  thought  might  be 
the  promised  letters,  especially  as  one  of  them  was  di 
rected  to  Basket,  the  king's  printer,  and  another  to  some 
stationer.  We  arrived  in  London  the  24th  of  December, 
1724.  I  waited  upon  the  stationer,  who  came  first  in  my 5 
way,  delivering  the  letter  as  from  Governor  Keith.  "  I 
don't  know  such  a  person,"  says  he;  but,  opening  the 
letter,  "  O !  this  is  from  Riddlesden.  I  have  already  found 
him  to  be  a  complete  rascal,  and  I  will  have  nothing  to 
do  with  him,  nor  receive  any  letters  from  him."  So,  put- 10 
ting  the  letter  into  my  hand,  he  turned  on  his  heel  and 
left  me  to  serve  some  customer.  I  was  surprised  to  find 
these  were  not  the  governor's  letters ;  and,  after  recollect 
ing  and  comparing  circumstances,  I  began  to  doubt  his  sin 
cerity.  I  found  my  friend  Denham,  and  opened  the  15 
whole  affair  to  him.  He  let  me  into  Keith's  character; 
told  me  there  was  not  the  least  probability  that  he  had 
written  any  letters  for  me;  that  no  one,  who  knew  him, 
had  the  smallest  dependence  on  him ;  and  he  laughed  at 
the  notion  of  the  governor's  giving  me  a  letter  of  credit, 20 
having,  as  he  said,  no  credit  to  give.  On  my  expressing 
some  concern  about  what  I  should  do,  he  advised  me  to 
endeavor  getting  some  employment  in  the  way  of  my 
business.  "  Among  the  printers  here,"  said  he,  "  you 
will  improve  yourself,  and  when  you  return  to  America,  25 
you  will  set  up  to  greater  advantage." 

We  both  of  us  happened  to  know,  as  well  as  the  sta 
tioner,  that  Riddlesden,  the  attorney,  was  a  very  knave. 
He  had  half  ruined  Miss  Read's  father  by  persuading  him 
to  be  bound  for  him.  By  this  letter  it  appeared  there 30 
was  a  secret  scheme  on  foot  to  the  prejudice  of  Hamilton 
(supposed  to  be  then  coming  over  with  us)  ;  and  that  Keith 
was  concerned  in  it  with  Riddlesden.  Denham,  who 
was  a  friend  of  Hamilton's,  thought  he  ought  to  be  ac- 


48  Franklin's  Autobiography 

quainted  with  it;  so,  when  he  arrived  in  England,  which 
was  soon  after,  partly  from  resentment  and  ill-will  to 
Keith  and  Riddlesden,  and  partly  from  good-will  to  him, 
I  waited  on  him,  and  gave  him  the  letter.  He  thanked 
5me  cordially,  the  information  being  of  importance  to  him; 
and  from  that  time  he  became  my  friend,  greatly  to  my 
advantage  afterwards  on  many  occasions. 

But  what  shall  we  think  of  a  governor's  playing  such 
pitiful  tricks,  and  imposing  so  grossly  on  a  poor  ignorant 

lOboy!  It  was  a  habit  he  had  acquired.  He  wished  to 
please  everybody;  and,  having  little  to  give,  he  gave 
expectations.  He  was  otherwise  an  ingenious,  sensible 
man,  a  pretty  good  writer,  and  a  good  governor  for  the 
people,  though  not  for  his  constituents,  the  proprietaries, 

15whose  instructions  he  sometimes  disregarded.  Several  of 
our  best  laws  were  of  his  planning  and  passed  during  his 
administration. 

Ralph  and  I  were  inseparable  companions.     We  took 
lodgings  together  in  Little  Britain  at  three  shillings  and 

20sixpence  a  week  —  as  much  as  we  could  then  afford. 
He  found  some  relations,  but  they  were  poor,  and  unable 
to  assist  him.  He  now  let  me  know  his  intentions  of  re 
maining  in  London,  and  that  he  never  meant  to  return  to 
Philadelphia.  He  had  brought  no  money  with  him,  the 

25whole  he  could  muster  having  been  expended  in  paying 
his  passage.  I  had  fifteen  pistoles;  so  he  borrowed 
occasionally  of  me  to  subsist,  while  he  was  looking  out 
for  business.  He  first  endeavored  to  get  into  the  play 
house,  believing  himself  qualified  for  an  actor;  but 

SOWilkes,  to  whom  he  applied,  advised  him  candidly  not  to 
think  of  that  employment,  as  it  was  impossible  he  should 
succeed  in  it.  Then  he  proposed  to  Roberts,  a  publisher 
in  Paternoster  Row,  to  write  for  him  a  weekly  paper  like 
the  Spectator,  on  certain  conditions,  which  Roberts  did 


Franklin's  Autobiography  49 

not  approve.  Then  he  endeavored  to  get  employment 
as  a  hackney  writer,  to  copy  for  the  stationers  and  lawyers 
about  the  Temple,  but  could  find  no  vacancy. 

I  immediately  got  into  work  at  Palmer's,  then  a  famous 
printing-house  in  Bartholomew  Close,  and  here  I  continueds 
near  a  year.     I  was  pretty  diligent,  but  spent  with  Ralph 
a  good  deal  of  my  earnings  in  going  to  plays  and  other 
places  of  amusement.     We  had  together  consumed  all  my 
pistoles,  and  now  just  rubbed  on  from  hand  to  mouth. 
He  seemed  quite  to  forget  his  wife  and  child,  and  I,  bylO 
degrees,  my  engagements  with   Miss  Read,  to  whom  I 
never  wrote  more  than  one  letter,  and  that  was  to  let 
her  know  I  was  not  likely  soon  to  return.     This  was 
another  of  the  great  errata  of  my  life,  which  I  should 
wish  to  correct  if  I  were  to  live  it  over  again.     In  fact,  by  15 
our  expenses,   I  was  constantly  kept  unable  to  pay  my 
passage. 

At  Palmer's  I  was  employed  in  composing  for  the 
second  edition  of  Wollaston's  Religion  of  Nature.  Some 
of  his  reasonings  not  appearing  to  me  well  founded,  1 20 
wrote  a  little  metaphysical  piece  in  which  I  made  remarks 
on  them.  It  was  entitled  A  Dissertation  on  Liberty  and 
Necessity,  Pleasure  and  Pain.  I  inscribed  it  to  my  friend 
Ralph;  I  printed  a  small  number.  It  occasioned  my 
being  more  considered  by  Mr.  Palmer  as  a  young  man  of  25 
some  ingenuity,  though  he  seriously  expostulated  with  me 
upon  the  principles  of  my  pamphlet,  which  to  him  ap 
peared  abominable.  My  printing  this  pamphlet  was  an 
other  erratum. 

While  I  lodged  in  Little  Britain,  I  made  an  acquaint-30 
ance  with  one  Wilcox,  a  bookseller,  whose  shop  was  at 
the  next  door.     He  had  an  immense  collection  of  second 
hand  books.     Circulating  libraries  were  not  then  in  use; 
but  we  agreed  that,  on  certain  reasonable  terms,  which  I 


50  Franklin's  Autobiography 

have  now  forgotten,  I  might  take,  read,  and  return  any 
of  his  books.  This  I  esteemed  a  great  advantage,  and  I 
made  as  much  use  of  it  as  I  could. 

My  pamphlet  by  some  means  falling  into  the  hands  of 
5one  Lyons,  a  surgeon,  author  of  a  book  entitled  The 
Infallibility  of  Human  Judgment,  it  occasioned  an  ac 
quaintance  between  us.  He  took  great  notice  of  me, 
called  on  me  often  to  converse  on  those  subjects,  carried 
me  to  the  Horns,  a  pale  alehouse  in Lane,  Cheap- 

lOside,  and  introduced  me  to  Dr.  Mandeville,  author  of  the 
Fable  of  the  Bees,  who  had  a  club  there,  of  which  he 
was  the  soul,  being  a  most  facetious,  entertaining  com 
panion.  Lyons,  too,  introduced  me  to  Dr.  Pemberton, 
at  Batson's  Coffee-house,  who  promised  to  give  me  an 

15opportunity,  sometime  or  other,  of  seeing  Sir  Isaac  New 
ton,  of  which  I  was  extremely  desirous;  but  this  never 
happened. 

I  had  brought  over  a  few  curiosities,  among  which  the 
principal  was  a  purse  made  of  the  asbestos,  which  purifies 

20by  fire.  Sir  Hans  Sloane  heard  of  it,  came  to  see  me,  and 
invited  me  to  his  house  in  Bloomsbury  Square,  where  he 
showed  me  all  his  curiosities,  and  persuaded  me  to  let 
him  add  that  to  the  number,  for  which  he  paid  me  hand 
somely. 

25  In  our  house  there  lodged  a  young  woman,  a  milliner, 
who,  I  think,  had  a  shop  in  the  Cloisters.  She  had 
been  genteelly  bred,  was  sensible  and  lively,  and  of  most 
pleasing  conversation.  Ralph  read  plays  to  her  in  the 
evenings,  they  grew  intimate,  she  took  another  lodging, 

30and  he  followed  her.  They  lived  together  some  time; 
but,  he  being  still  out  of  business,  and  her  income  not 
sufficient  to  maintain  them  with  her  child,  he  took  a 
resolution  of  going  from  London,  to  try  for  a  country 
school,  which  he  thought  himself  well  qualified  to  under- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  51 

take,  as  he  wrote  an  excellent  hand,  and  was  a  master  of 
arithmetic  and  accounts.  This,  however,  he  deemed  a 
business  below  him,  and  confident  of  future  better  for 
tune,  when  he  should  be  unwilling  to  have  it  known  that 
he  once  was  so  meanly  employed,  he  changed  his  name, 5 
and  did  me  the  honor  to  assume  mine;  for  I  soon  after 
had  a  letter  from  him,  acquainting  me  that  he  was  settled 
in  a  small  village  (in  Berkshire,  I  think  it  was,  where  he 
taught  reading  and  writing  to  ten  or  a  dozen  boys,  at  six 
pence  each  per  week),  recommending  Mrs.  T tolO 

my  care,  and  desiring  me  to  write  to  him,  directing  for 
Mr.  Franklin,  schoolmaster,  at  such  a  place. 

He  continued   to  write   frequently,  sending  me  large 
specimens  of  an  epic  poem  which  he  was  then  composing, 
and  desiring  my  remarks  and  corrections.     These  I  gave  15 
him  from  time  to  time,  but  endeavored  rather  to  discour 
age  his  proceeding.     One  of  Young's  Satires  was  then 
just  published.     I  copied  and  sent  him  a  great  part  of  it, 
which  set  in  a  strong  light  the  folly  of  pursuing  the  Muses 
with  any  hope  of  advancement  by  them.     All  was  in  vain; 20 
sheets  of  the  poem  continued  to  come  by  every  post.     I 
now  began  to  think  of  getting  a  little  money  beforehand, 
and,  expecting  better  work,  I  left  Palmer's  to  work  at 
Watts's,  near  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields,  a  still  greater  printing- 
house.     Here  I  continued  all  the  rest  of  my  stay  in  Lon-25 
don. 

At  my  first  admission  into  this  printing-house  I  took 
to  working  at  press,  imagining  I  felt  a  want  of  the 
bodily  exercise  I  had  been  used  to  in  America,  where 
presswork  is  mixed  with  composing.  I  drank  only  water; 30 
the  other  workmen,  near  fifty  in  number,  were  great 
guzzlers  of  beer.  On  occasion,  I  carried  up  and  down 
stairs  a  large  form  of  types  in  each  hand,  when  others 
carried  but  one  in  both  hands.  They  wondered  to  sec, 


52  Franklin's  Autobiography 

from  this  and  several  instances,  that  the  Water- American, 
as  they  called  me,  was  stronger  than  themselves,  who 
drank  strong  beer!  We  had  an  alehouse  boy  who  at 
tended  always  in  the  house  to  supply  the  workmen.  My 
Scompanion  at  the  press  drank  every  day  a  pint  before 
breakfast,  a  pint  at  breakfast  with  his  bread  and  cheese, 
a  pint  between  breakfast  and  dinner,  a  pint  at  dinner,  a 
pint  in  the  afternoon  about  six  o'clock,  and  another  when 
he  had  done  his  day's  work.  I  thought  it  a  detestable  cus- 

lOtom;  but  it  was  necessary,  he  supposed,  to  drink  strong 
beer,  that  he  might  be  strong  to  labor.  I  endeavored  to 
convince  him  that  the  bodily  strength  afforded  by  beer 
could  only  be  in  proportion  to  the  grain  or  flour  of  the 
barley  dissolved  in  the  water  of  which  it  was  made; 

15that  there  was  more  flour  in  a  pennyworth  of  bread; 
and  therefore,  if  he  would  eat  that  with  a  pint  of 
water,  it  would  give  him  more  strength  than  a  quart 
of  beer.  He  drank  on,  however,  and  had  four  or  five 
shillings  to  pay  out  of  his  wages  every  Saturday  night 

20for  that  muddling  liquor;  an  expense  I  was  free  from. 

And  thus  these  poor  devils  keep  themselves  always  under. 

Watts,  after  some  weeks,  desiring  to  have  me  in  the 

composing-room,   I  left  the  pressmen ;  a  new  bien  venu 

or   sum    for   drink,   being  five   shillings,   was   demanded 

25of  me  by  the  compositors.  I  thought  it  an  imposition, 
as  I  had  paid  below;  the  master  thought  so  too,  and 
forbade  my  paying  it.  I  stood  out  two  or  three  weeks, 
was  accordingly  considered  as  an  excommunicate,  and 
had  so  many  little  pieces  of  private  mischief  done  me, 

30by  mixing  my  sorts,  transposing  my  pages,  breaking  my 
matter,  etc.,  etc.,  if  I  were  ever  so  little  out  of  the 
room,  and  all  ascribed  to  the  chapel  ghost,  which  they 
said  ever  haunted  those  not  regularly  admitted,  that,  not 
withstanding  the  master's  protection,  I  found  myself 


Franklin's  Autobiography  53 

obliged  to  comply  and  pay  the  money,  convinced  of  the 
folly  of  being  on  ill  terms  with  those  one  is  to  live  with 
continually. 

I   was  now  on   a  fair  footing  with  them,   and  soon 
acquired  considerable  influence.     I  proposed  some  reason-5 
able  alterations  in  their  chapel  laws,  and  carried  them 
against  all  opposition.     From  my  example,  a  great  part 
of  them  left  their  muddling  breakfast  of  beer,  and  bread, 
and  cheese,  finding  they  could  with  me  be  supplied  from 
a  neighboring  house  with  a  large  porringer  of  hot  water-10 
gruel,  sprinkled  with  pepper,  crumbed  with  bread,   and 
a  bit  of  butter  in  it,   for  the  price  of  a  pint  of  beer, 
viz.,  three  half-pence.     This  was  a  more  comfortable  as 
well  as  cheaper  breakfast,  and  kept  their  heads  clearer. 
Those  who   continued   sotting  with   beer  all   day,   were  15 
often,  by  not  paying,  out  of  credit  at  the  alehouse,  and 
used  to  make  interest  with  me  to  get  beer;  their  light  f 
as  they  phrased  it,  being  out.     I  watched  the  pay-table 
on  Saturday  night,  and  collected  what  I  stood  engaged 
for  them,  having  to  pay  sometimes  near  thirty  shillings  a20 
week  on  their  accounts.     This,  and  my  being  esteemed 
a  pretty  good  riggite,  that  is,  a  jocular  verbal  satirist, 
supported  my  consequence  in  the  society.     My  constant 
attendance  (I  never  making  a  St.  Monday)  recommended 
me  to  the  master;  and  my  uncommon  quickness  at  com- 2 5 
posing  occasioned  my  being  put  upon  all  work  of  dispatch, 
which   was   generally  better  paid.     So  I  went  on  now 
very  agreeably. 

My  lodging  in  Little  Britain  being  too  remote,  I 
found  another  in  Duke  Street,  opposite  to  the  Romish  30 
Chapel.  It  was  two  pair  of  stairs  backwards,  at  an 
Italian  warehouse.  A  widow  lady  kept  the  house;  she 
had  a  daughter,  and  a  maid  servant,  and  a  journeyman 
who  attended  the  warehouse,  but  lodged  abroad.  After 


54  Franklin's  Autobiography 

sending  to  inquire  my  character  at  the  house  where  I 
last  lodged,  she  agreed  to  take  me  in  at  the  same  rate,  33. 
6d.  per  week;  cheaper,  as  she  said,  from  the  protection 
she  expected  in  having  a  man  lodge  in  the  house.  She 
5was  a  widow,  an  elderly  woman ;  had  been  bred  a  Prot 
estant,  being  a  clergyman's  daughter,  but  was  converted 
to  the  Catholic  religion  by  her  husband,  whose  memory 
she  much  revered;  had  lived  much  among  people  of  dis 
tinction,  and  knew  a  thousand  anecdotes  of  them  as  far 

lOback  as  the  times  of  Charles  the  Second.  She  was  lame 
in  her  knees  with  the  gout,  and,  therefore,  seldom  stirred 
out  of  her  room,  so  sometimes  wanted  company ;  and  hers 
was  so  highly  amusing  to  me,  that  I  was  sure  to  spend 
an  evening  with  her  whenever  she  desired  it.  Our  supper 

15was  only  half  an  anchovy  each,  on  a  very  little  strip  of 
bread  and  butter,  and  half  a  pint  of  ale  between  us;  but 
the  entertainment  was  in  her  conversation.  My  always 
keeping  good  hours,  and  giving  little  trouble  in  the  family, 
made  her  unwilling  to  part  with  me ;  so  that,  when  I  talked 

20of  a  lodging  I  had  heard  of,  nearer  my  business,  for 
two  shillings  a  week,  which,  intent  as  I  now  was  on  sav 
ing  money,  made  some  difference,  she  bid  me  not  think 
of  it,  for  she  would  abate  me  two  shillings  a  week  for 
the  future ;  so  I  remained  with  her  at  one  shilling  and  six- 

25pence  as  long  as  I  stayed  in  London. 

In  a  garret  of  her  house  there  lived  a  maiden  lady  of 
seventy,  in  the  most  retired  manner,  of  whom  my  land 
lady  gave  me  this  account:  that  she  was  a  Roman 
Catholic,  had  been  sent  abroad  when  young,  and  lodged 

30in  a  nunnery  with  an  intent  of  becoming  a  nun;  but,  the 
country  not  agreeing  with  her,  she  returned  to  England, 
where,  there  being  no  nunnery,  she  had  vowed  to  lead  the 
life  of  a  nun,  as  near  as  might  be  done  in  those  circum 
stances.  Accordingly,  she  had  given  all  her  estate  to 


Franklin's  Autobiography  55 

charitable  uses,  reserving  only  twelve  pounds  a  year  to 
live  on,  and  out  of  this  sum  she  still  gave  a  great  deal  in 
charity,  living  herself  on  water-gruel  only,  and  using  no 
fire  but  to  boil  it.  She  had  lived  many  years  in  that 
garret,  being  permitted  to  remain  there  gratis  by  succes-5 
sive  Catholic  tenants  of  the  house  below,  as  they  deemed 
it  a  blessing  to  have  her  there.  A  priest  visited  her  to 
confess  her  every  day.  "  I  have  asked  her,"  says  my  land 
lady,  "  how  she,  as  she  lived,  could  possibly  find  so  much 
employment  for  a  confessor?"  "  Oh,"  said  she,  "it  islO 
impossible  to  avoid  vain  thoughts/'  I  was  permitted 
once  to  visit  her.  She  was  cheerful  and  polite,  and  con 
versed  pleasantly.  The  room  was  clean,  but  had  no  other 
furniture  than  a  mattress,  a  table  with  a  crucifix  and  book, 
a  stool,  which  she  gave  me  to  sit  on,  and  a  picture  over!5 
the  chimney  of  Saint  Veronica  displaying  her  handkerchief, 
with  the  miraculous  figure  of  Christ's  bleeding  face  on  it, 
which  she  explained  to  me  with  great  seriousness.  She 
looked  pale,  but  was  never  sick;  and  I  give  it  as  another 
instance  on  how  small  an  income,  life  and  health  may20 
be  supported. 

At  Watts's  printing-house  I  contracted  an  acquaintance 
with  an  ingenious  young  man,  one  Wygate,  who,  having 
wealthy  relations,   had   been  better   educated   than  most 
printers;    was   a   tolerable    Latinist,    spoke    French,    and 25 
loved  reading.     I  taught  him  and  a  friend  of  his  to  swim 
at  twice  going  into  the  river,  and  they  soon  became  good 
swimmers.     They    introduced    me    to    some    gentlemen 
from  the  country,  who  went  to  Chelsea  by  water  to  see 
the  College  and  Don  Saltero's  curiosities.     In  our  return, 30 
at  the  request  of  the  company,  whose  curiosity  Wygate 
had  excited,   I  stripped  and  leaped  into  the  river,   and 
swam  from  near  Chelsea  to  Blackfriar's  performing  on  the 
way  many  feats  of  activity,  both  upon  and  under  water, 


56  Franklin's  Autobiography 

that   surprised    and   pleased    those   to   whom   they   were 
novelties. 

I  had  from  a  child  been  ever  delighted  with  this  ex 
ercise,  had  studied  and  practised  all  Thevenot's  motions 
5and  positions,  added  some  of  my  own,  aiming  at  the 
graceful  and  easy  as  well  as  the  useful.  All  these  I  took 
this  occasion  of  exhibiting  to  the  company,  and  was 
much  flattered  by  their  admiration ;  and  Wygate,  who 
was  desirous  of  becoming  a  master,  grew  more  and  more 

lOattached  to  me  on  that  account,  as  well  as  from  the  simi 
larity  of  our  studies.  He  at  length  proposed  to  me  trav 
eling  all  over  Europe  together,  supporting  ourselves 
everywhere  by  working  at  our  business.  I  was  once  in 
clined  to  it;  but,  mentioning  it  to  my  good  friend  Mr. 

ISDenham,  with  whom  I  often  spent  an  hour  when  I  had 
leisure,  he  dissuaded  me  from  it,  advising  me  to  think 
only  of  returning  to  Pennsylvania,  which  he  was  now 
about  to  do. 

I  must  record  one  trait  of  this  good  man's  character. 

20He  had  formerly  been  in  business  at  Bristol,  but  failed  in 
debt  to  a  number  of  people,  compounded  and  went  to 
America.  There,  by  a  close  application  to  business  as  a 
merchant,  he  acquired  a  plentiful  fortune  in  a  few  years. 
Returning  to  England  in  the  ship  with  me,  he  invited  his 

25old  creditors  to  an  entertainment,  at  which  he  thanked 
them  for  the  easy  composition  they  had  favored  him 
with,  and,  when  they  expected  nothing  but  the  treat, 
every  man  at  the  first  remove  found  under  his  plate  an 
order  on  a  banker  for  the  full  amount  of  the  unpaid  re- 

SOmainder  with  interest. 

He  now  told  me  he  was  about  to  return  to  Philadel 
phia,  and  should  carry  over  a  great  quantity  of  goods  in 
order  to  open  a  store  there.  He  proposed  to  take  me  over 
as  his  clerk,  to  keep  his  books,  in  which  he  would  instruct 


Franklin's  Autobiography  57 

me,  copy  his  letters,  and  attend  the  store.  He  added, 
that,  as  soon  as  I  should  be  acquainted  with  mercantile 
business,  he  would  promote  me  by  sending  me  with  a 
cargo  of  flour  and  bread,  etc.,  to  the  West  Indies,  and 
procure  me  commissions  from  others  which  would  be 5 
profitable;  and,  if  I  managed  well,  would  establish  me 
handsomely.  The  thing  pleased  me;  for  I  was  grown 
tired  of  London,  remembered  with  pleasure  the  happy 
months  I  had  spent  in  Pennsylvania,  and  wished  again  to 
see  it;  therefore  I  immediately  agreed  on  the  terms  of  10 
fifty  pounds  a  year,  Pennsylvania  money;  less,  indeed, 
than  my  present  gettings  as  a  compositor,  but  affording  a 
better  prospect. 

I  now  took  leave  of  printing,  as  I  thought,  forever, 
and  was  daily  employed  in  my  new  business,  going  about  15 
with  Mr.  Denham  among  the  tradesmen  to  purchase 
various  articles,  and  seeing  them  packed  up,  doing  er 
rands,  calling  upon  workmen  to  dispatch,  etc. ;  and,  when 
all  was  on  board,  I  had  a  few  days'  leisure.  On  one 
of  these  days,  I  was,  to  my  surprise,  sent  for  by  a  great20 
man  I  knew  only  by  name,  a  Sir  William  Wyndham, 
and  I  waited  upon  him.  He  had  heard  by  some  means 
or  other  of  my  swimming  from  Chelsea  to  Blackfriars,  and 
of  my  teaching  Wygate  and  another  young  man  to  swim 
in  a  few  hours.  He  had  two  sons,  about  to  set  out  on  their  2  5 
travels;  he  wished  to  have  them  first  taught  swimming, 
and  proposed  to  gratify  me  handsomely  if  I  would  teach 
them.  They  were  not  yet  come  to  town,  and  my  stay 
was  uncertain,  so  I  could  not  undertake  it;  but,  from 
this  incident,  I  thought  it  likely  that,  if  I  were  to  re-so 
main  in  England  and  open  a  swimming-school,  I  might 
get  a  good  deal  of  money;  and  it  struck  me  so  strongly, 
that,  had  the  overture  been  sooner  made  me,  probably  I 
should  not  so  soon  have  returned  to  America.  After 


58  Franklin's  Autobiography 

many  years,  you  and  I  had  something  of  more  impor 
tance  to  do  with  one  of  these  sons  of  Sir  William  Wynd- 
ham,  become  Earl  of  Egremont,  which  I  shall  mention 
in  its  place. 

5  Thus  I  spent  about  eighteen  months  in  London;  most 
part  of  the  time  I  worked  hard  at  my  business,  and  spent 
but  little  upon  myself  except  in  seeing  plays  and  in 
books.  My  friend  Ralph  had  kept  me  poor;  he  owed 
me  about  twenty-seven  pounds,  which  I  was  now  never 

lOlikely  to  receive;  a  great  sum  out  of  my  small  earnings! 
I  loved  him,  notwithstanding,  for  he  had  many  amiable 
qualities.  I  had  by  no  means  improved  my  fortune;  but 
I  had  picked  up  some  very  ingenious  acquaintance,  whose 
conversation  was  of  great  advantage  to  me;  and  I  had 

15  read  considerably. 

VII 
BEGINNING  BUSINESS  IN  PHILADELPHIA 

WE  sailed  from  Gravesend  on  the  23rd  of  July,  1726. 
For  the  incidents  of  the  voyage,  I  refer  you  to  my  Jour- 

20nal,  where  you  will  find  them  all  minutely  related.  Per 
haps  the  most  important  part  of  that  journal  is  the  plan 
to  be  found  in  it,  which  I  formed  at  sea,  for  regulating 
my  future  conduct  in  life.  It  is  the  more  remarkable, 
as  being  formed  when  I  was  so  young,  and  yet  being 

25pretty  faithfully  adhered  to  quite  through  to  old  age. 

We  landed  in  Philadelphia  on  the  nth  of  October, 
where  I  found  sundry  alterations.  Keith  was  no  longer 
governor,  being  superseded  by  Major  Gordon.  I  met 
him  walking  the  streets  as  a  common  citizen.  He  seemed 

SOa  little  ashamed  at  seeing  me,  but  passed  without  saying 
anything.  I  should  have  been  as  much  ashamed  at  see- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  59 

ing  Miss  Read,  had  not  her  friends,  despairing  with  reason 
of  my  return  after  the  receipt  of  my  letter,  persuaded 
her  to  marry  another,  one  Rogers,  a  potter,  which  was 
done  in  my  absence.  With  him,  however,  she  was  never 
happy,  and  soon  parted  from  him.  He  was  a  worthlessS 
fellow,  though  an  excellent  workman,  which  was  the  temp 
tation  to  her  friends.  He  got  into  debt,  ran  away  in 
1727  or  1728,  went  to  the  West  Indies,  and  died  there. 
Keimer  had  got  a  better  house,  a  shop  well  supplied  with 
stationery,  plenty  of  new  types,  a  number  of  hands,  thoughlO 
none  good,  and  seemed  to  have  a  great  deal  of  business. 

Mr.  Denham  took  a  store  in  Water  Street,  where  we 
opened   our   goods;    I    attended    the   business   diligently, 
studied   accounts,   and   grew,   in  a  little  time,   expert  at 
selling.     We  lodged  and  boarded  together;  he  counseledlS 
me  as  a  father,  having  a  sincere  regard  for  me.     I  re 
spected  and  loved  him,  and  we  might  have  gone  on  to 
gether  very  happy;  but,   in  the  beginning  of  February, 
1726-7,  when  I  had  just  passed  my  twenty-first  year,  we 
both  were  taken  ill.     My  distemper  was  a  pleurisy,  which 20 
very  nearly  carried  me  off.     I  suffered  a  good  deal,  gave 
up  the  point  in  my  own  mind,  and  was  rather  disappointed 
when    I    found    myself    recovering,    regretting,    in    some 
degree,  that  I  must  now,  some  time  or  other,  have  all 
that  disagreeable  work  to  do  over  again.     I  forget  what25 
his  distemper  was;  it  held  him  a  long  time,  and  at  length 
carried  him  off.     He  left  me  a  small  legacy  in  a  nun 
cupative  will,  as  a  token  of  his  kindness  for  me,  and  he 
left  me  once  more  to  the  wide  world ;  for  the  store  was 
taken  into  the  care  of  his  executors,  and  my  employmentSO 
under  him  ended. 

My  brother-in-law,  Holmes,  being  now  at  Philadelphia, 
advised  my  return  to  my  business;  and  Keimer  tempted 
me,  with  an  offer  of  large  wages  by  the  year,  to  come 


60  Franklin's  Autobiography 

and  take  the  management  of  his  printing-house,  that  he 
might  better  attend  his  stationer's  shop.  I  had  heard 
bad  character  of  him  in  London  from  his  wife  and  her 
friends,  and  was  not  fond  of  having  any  more  to  do  with 
Shim.  I  tried  for  farther  employment  as  a  merchant's 
clerk;  but,  not  readily  meeting  with  any,  I  closed  again 
with  Keimer.  I  found  in  his  house  these  hands:  Hugh 
Meredith,  a  Welsh  Pennsylvanian,  thirty  years  of  age, 
bred  to  country  work;  honest,  sensible,  had  a  great  deal 

lOof  solid  observation,  was  something  of  a  reader,  but  given 
to  drink.  Stephen  Potts,  a  young  countryman  of  full  age, 
bred  to  the  same,  of  uncommon  natural  parts,  and  great 
wit  and  humor,  but  a  little  idle.  These  he  had  agreed 
with  at  extreme  low  wages  per  week  to  be  raised  a  shil- 

15ling  every  three  months,  as  they  would  deserve  by  im 
proving  in  their  business;  and  the  expectation  of  these 
high  wages,  to  come  on  hereafter,  was  what  he  had 
drawn  them  in  with.  Meredith  was  to  work  at  press, 
Potts  at  book-binding,  which  he,  by  agreement,  was  to 

20teach   them,   though   he   knew   neither  one  nor   t'other. 

John  ,  a  wild  Irishman,  brought  up  to  no  business, 

whose  service,  for  four  years,  Keimer  had  purchased  from 
the  captain  of  a  ship;  he,  too,  was  to  be  made  a  press 
man.  George  Webb,  an  Oxford  scholar,  whose  time  for 

25four  years  he  had  likewise  bought,  intending  him  for  a 
compositor,  of  whom  more  presently;  and  David  Harry, 
a  country  boy,  whom  he  had  taken  apprentice. 

I  soon  perceived  that  the  intention  of  engaging  me  at 
wages  so  much  higher  than  he  had  been  used  to  give, 

30was,  to  have  these  raw,  cheap  hands  formed  through  me; 
and,  as  soon  as  I  had  instructed  them,  then  they  being  all 
articled  to  him,  he  should  be  able  to  do  without  me. 
I  went  on,  however,  very  cheerfully,  put  his  printing- 
house  in  order,  which  had  been  in  great  confusion,  and 


Franklin's  Autobiography  61 

brought  his  hands  by  degrees  to  mind  their  business  and 
to  do  it  better. 

It  was  an  odd  thing  to  find  an  Oxford  scholar  in  the 
situation  of  a  bought  servant.  He  was  not  more  than 
eighteen  years  of  age,  and  gave  me  this  account  of  him-5 
self;  that  he  was  born  in  Gloucester,  educated  at  a  gram 
mar-school  there,  had  been  distinguished  among  the 
scholars  for  some  apparent  superiority  in  performing  his 
part,  when  they  exhibited  plays;  belonged  to  the  Witty 
Club  there,  and  had  written  some  pieces  in  prose  and  10 
verse,  which  were  printed  in  the  Gloucester  newspapers; 
thence  he  was  sent  to  Oxford;  where  he  continued  about 
a  year,  but  not  well  satisfied,  wishing  of  all  things  to 
see  London,  and  become  a  player.  At  length,  receiving 
his  quarterly  allowance  of  fifteen  guineas,  instead  of  dis-15 
charging  his  debts  he  walked  out  of  town,  hid  his  gown 
in  a  furze  bush,  and  footed  it  to  London,  where,  having 
no  friend  to  advise  him,  he  fell  into  bad  company,  soon 
spent  his  guineas,  found  no  means  of  being  introduced 
among  the  players,  grew  necessitous,  pawned  his  clothes, 20 
and  wanted  bread.  Walking  the  street  very  hungry, 
and  not  knowing  what  to  do  with  himself,  a  crimp's 
bill  was  put  into  his  hand,  offering  immediate  entertain 
ment  and  encouragement  to  such  as  would  bind  them 
selves  to  serve  in  America.  He  went  directly,  signed  the-25 
indentures,  was  put  into  the  ship,  and  came  over,  never 
writing  a  line  to  acquaint  his  friends  what  was  become 
of  him.  He  was  lively,  witty,  good-natured,  and  a  pleas 
ant  companion,  but  idle,  thoughtless,  and  imprudent  to 
the  last  degree.  30 

John,  the  Irishman,  soon  ran  away;  with  the  rest  I 
began  to  live  very  agreeably,  for  they  all  respected  me 
the  more,  as  they  found  Keimer  incapable  of  instructing 
them,  and  that  from  me  they  learned  something  daily. 


62  Franklin's  Autobiography 

We  never  worked  on  Saturday,  that  being  Keimer's  Sab 
bath,  so  I  had  two  days  for  reading.     My  acquaintance 
with   ingenious   people   in   the   town    increased.     Keimer 
himself  treated  me  with  great  civility  and  apparent  regard, 
Band  nothing  now  made  me  uneasy  but  my  debt  to  Vernon, 
which  I  was  yet  unable  to  pay,  being  hitherto  but  a  poor 
economist.     He,  however,  kindly  made  no  demand  of  it. 
Our  printing-house  often  wanted  sorts,  and  there  was 
no  letter-founder  in  America;  I  had  seen  types  cast  at 

lOjames's  in  London,  but  without  much  attention  to  the 
manner;  however,  I  now  contrived  a  mould,  made  use  of 
the  letters  we  had  as  puncheons,  struck  the  matrices  in 
lead,  and  thus  supplied  in  a  pretty  tolerable  way  all  defi 
ciencies.  I  also  engraved  several  things  on  occasion ;  I 

15made  the  ink;  I  was  warehouseman,  and  everything,  and, 
in  short,  quite  a  factotum. 

But,  however  serviceable  I  might  be,  I  found  that  my 
services  became  every  day  of  less  importance,  as  the 
other  hands  improved  in  the  business;  and,  when  Keimer 

20paid  my  second  quarter's  wages,  he  let  me  know  that  he 
felt  them  too  heavy,  and  thought  I  should  make  an  abate 
ment.  He  grew  by  degrees  less  civil,  put  on  more  of  the 
master,  frequently  found  fault,  was  captious,  and  seemed 
ready  for  an  outbreaking.  I  went  on,  nevertheless,  with 

25a  good  deal  of  patience,  thinking  that  his  encumbered 
circumstances  were  partly  the  cause.  At  length  a  trifle 
snapped  our  connections ;  for,  a  great  noise  happening  near 
the  court-house,  I  put  my  head  out  of  the  window  to  see 
what  was  the  matter.  Keimer,  being  in  the  street,  looked 

30up  and  saw  me,  called  out  to  me  in  a  loud  voice  and 
angry  tone  to  mind  my  business,  adding  some  reproach 
ful  words,  that  nettled  me  the  more  for  their  publicity,  all 
the  neighbors  who  were  looking  out  on  the  same  occasion 
being  witnesses  how  I  was  treated.  He  came  up  imme- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  63 

diately  into  the  printing-house,  continued  the  quarrel, 
high  words  passed  on  both  sides,  he  gave  me  the  quarter's 
warning  we  had  stipulated,  expressing  a  wish  that  he  had 
not  been  obliged  to  so  long  a  warning.  I  told  him  his 
wish  was  unnecessary,  for  I  would  leave  him  that  in-5 
stant;  and  so,  taking  my  hat,  walked  out  of  doors,  desir 
ing  Meredith,  whom  I  saw  below,  to  take  care  of  some 
things  I  left,  and  bring  them  to  my  lodgings. 

Meredith  came  accordingly  in  the  evening,  when  we 
talked  my  affair  over.     He  had  conceived  a  great  regard  10 
for  me,  and  was  very  unwilling  that  I  should  leave  the 
house  while  he  remained  in  it.     He  dissuaded  me  from 
returning  to  my  native  country,  which  I  began  to  think 
of;  he  reminded  me  that  Keimer  was  in  debt  for  all  he 
possessed;   that   his   creditors   began   to  be   uneasy;   thatlS 
he  kept  his  shop  miserably,  sold  often  without  profit  for 
ready  money,  and  often  trusted  without  keeping  accounts ; 
that  he  must  therefore  fail,  which  would  make  a  vacancy 
I  might  profit  of.     I  objected  my  want  of  money.     He 
then  let  me  know  that  his  father  had  a  high  opinion  of20 
me,  and,   from  some  discourse  that  had  passed  between 
them,  he  was  sure  would  advance  money  to  set  us  up,  if 
I  would  enter  into  partnership  with  him.     "  My  time," 
says  he,  "  will  be  out  with  Keimer  in  the  spring ;  by  that 
time  we  may  have  our  press  and  types  in  from  London.  2 5 
I  am  sensible  I  am  no  workman ;  if  you  like  it,  your  skill 
in  the  business  shall  be  set  against  the  stock  I  furnish, 
and  we  will  share  the  profits  equally." 

The  proposal  was  agreeable,  and  I  consented;  his 
father  was  in  town  and  approved  of  it;  the  more  as  he30 
saw  I  had  great  influence  with  his  son,  had  prevailed  on 
him  to  abstain  long  from  dram-drinking,  and  he  hoped 
might  break  him  of  that  wretched  habit  entirely,  when 
we  came  to  be  so  closely  connected.  I  gave  an  inventory 


64  Franklin's  Autobiography 

to  the  father,  who  carried  it  to  a  merchant;  the  things 
were  sent  for,  the  secret  was  to  be  kept  till  they  should 
arrive,  and  in  the  meantime  I  was  to  get  work,  if  I  could, 
at  the  other  printing-house.  But  I  found  no  vacancy 
5there,  and  so  remained  idle  a  few  days,  when  Keimer,  on 
a  prospect  of  being  employed  to  print  some  paper  money 
in  New  Jersey,  which  would  require  cuts  and  various 
types  that  I  only  could  supply,  and  apprehending  Brad 
ford  might  engage  me  and  get  the  job  from  him,  sent  me  a 

lOvery  civil  message,  that  old  friends  should  not  part  for 
a  few  words,  the  effect  of  sudden  passion,  and  wishing 
me  to  return.  Meredith  persuaded  me  to  comply,  as  it 
would  give  more  opportunity  for  his  improvement  under 
my  daily  instructions ;  so  I  returned,  and  we  went  on  more 

ISsmoothly  than  for  some  time  before.  The  New  Jersey 
job  was  obtained,  I  contrived  a  copperplate  press  for  it, 
the  first  that  had  been  seen  in  the  country;  I  cut  several 
ornaments  and  checks  for  the  bills.  We  went  together 
to  Burlington,  where  I  executed  the  whole  to  satisfaction ; 

20and  he  received  so  large  a  sum  for  the  work  as  to  be 
enabled  thereby  to  keep  his  head  much  longer  above 
water. 

At    Burlington    I   made   an   acquaintance  with   many 
principal  people  of  the  province.     Several  of  them  had 

25been  appointed  by  the  Assembly  a  committee  to  attend 
the  press,  and  take  care  that  no  more  bills  were  printed 
than  the  law  directed.  They  were  therefore,  by  turns, 
constantly  with  us,  and  generally  he  who  attended, 
brought  with  him  a  friend  or  two  for  company.  My 

SOmind  having  been  much  more  improved  by  reading  than 
Keimer's,  I  suppose  it  was  for  that  reason  my  conversation 
seemed  to  be  more  valued.  They  had  me  to  their  houses, 
introduced  me  to  their  friends,  and  showed  me  much 
civility;  while  he,  though  the  master,  was  a  little  neglected. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  65 

In  truth,  he  was  an  odd  fish;  ignorant  of  common  life, 
fond  of  rudely  opposing  received  opinions,  slovenly  to 
extreme  dirtiness,  enthusiastic  in  some  points  of  religion, 
and  a  little  knavish  withal. 

We  continued  there  near  three  months;  and  by  thats 
time  I  could  reckon  among  my  acquired  friends,  Judge 
Allen,  Samuel  Bustill,  the  secretary  of  the  Province,  Isaac 
Pearson,  Joseph  Cooper,  and  several  of  the  Smiths,  mem 
bers  of  Assembly,   and   Isaac   Decow,  the  surveyor-gen 
eral.     The  latter  was  a  shrewd,  sagacious  old  man,  who  10 
told  me  that  he  began  for  himself,  when  young,  by  wheel 
ing  clay  for  the  brickmakers,  learned  to  write  after  he 
was  of  age,  carried  the  chain  for  surveyors,  who  taught 
him  surveying,  and  he  had  now  by  his  industry,  acquired 
a  good  estate;  and  says  he,  "  I  foresee  that  you  will  soonis 
work  this  man  out  of  his  business,  and  make  a  fortune  in 
it  at  Philadelphia."     He  had  not  then  the  least  intima 
tion  of  my  intention  to  set  up  there  or  anywhere.     These 
friends  were  afterwards  of  great  use  to  me,  as  I  occasion 
ally  was  to  some  of  them.     They  all  continued  their  re- 20 
gard  for  me  as  long  as  they  lived. 

Before  I  enter  upon  my  public  appearance  in  business, 
it  may  be  well  to  let  you  know  the  then  state  of  my  mind 
with  regard  to  my  principles  and  morals,  that  you  may 
see  how  far  those  influenced  the  future  events  of  my  life.  2 5 
My  parents  had  early  given  me  religious  impressions,  and 
brought  me  through  my  childhood  piously  in  the  Dissent 
ing  way.  But  I  was  scarce  fifteen,  when,  after  doubting 
by  turns  of  several  points,  as  I  found  them  disputed  in 
the  different  books  I  read,  I  began  to  doubt  of  Revelationso 
itself.  Some  books  against  Deism  fell  into  my  hands; 
they  were  said  to  be  the  substance  of  sermons  preached 
at  Boyle's  Lectures.  It  happened  that  they  wrought  an 
effect  on  me  quite  contrary  to  what  was  intended  by 


66  Franklin's  Autobiography 

them ;  for  the  arguments  of  the  Deists,  which  were  quoted 
to  be  refuted,  appeared  to  me  much  stronger  than  the 
refutations;  in  short,  I  soon  became  a  thorough  Deist. 
My  arguments  perverted  some  others,  particularly  Collins 
5and  Ralph;  but,  each  of  them  having  afterwards  wronged 
me  greatly  without  the  least  compunction,  and  recollect 
ing  Keith's  conduct  towards  me  (who  was  another  free 
thinker),  and  my  own  towards  Vernon  and  Miss  Read, 
which  at  times  gave  me  great  trouble,  I  began  to  suspect 
lOthat  this  doctrine,  though  it  might  be  true,  was  not  very 
useful.  My  London  pamphlet,  which  had  for  its  motto 
these  lines  of  Dryden :  "*  f  <^*-c 

"  Whatever  is,  is  right.    Though  purblind  man 
Sees  but  a  part  o'  the  chain,  the  nearest  link: 
15  His  eyes  not  carrying  to  the  equal  beam, 

That  poises  all  above;" 

and  from  the  attributes  of  God,  his  infinite  wisdom,  good 
ness  and  power,  concluded  that  nothing  could  possibly  be 
wrong  in  the  world,  and  that  vice  and  virtue  were  empty 

20distinctions,  no  such  things  existing,  appeared  now  not 
so  clever  a  performance  as  I  once  thought  it;  and  I 
doubted  whether  some  error  had  not  insinuated  itself 
unperceived  into  my  argument,  so  as  to  infect  all  that 
followed,  as  is  common  in  metaphysical  reasonings. 

25  I  grew  convinced  that  truth,  sincerity  and  integrity  in 
dealings  between  man  and  man  were  of  the  utmost  im 
portance  to  the  felicity  of  life;  and  I  formed  written 
resolutions,  which  still  remain  in  my  journal  book,  to 
practise  them  ever  while  I  lived.  Revelation  had  indeed 

30no  weight  with  me,  as  such;  but  I  entertained  an  opinion 
that,  though  certain  actions  might  not  be  bad  because 
they  were  forbidden  by  it,  or  good  because  it  commanded 
them,  yet  probably  those  actions  might  be  forbidden  be 
cause  they  were  bad  for  us,  or  commanded  because  they 


Franklin's  Autobiography  67 

were  beneficial  to  us,  in  their  own  natures,  all  the  circum 
stances  of  things  considered.  And  this  persuasion,  with 
the  kind  hand  of  Providence,  or  some  guardian  angel,  or 
accidental  favorable  circumstances  and  situations,  or  all 
together,  preserved  me,  through  this  dangerous  time  of5 
youth,  and  the  hazardous  situations  I  was  sometimes  in 
among  strangers,  remote  from  the  eye  and  advice  of  my 
father,  without  any  willful  gross  immorality  or  injustice, 
that  might  have  been  expected  from  my  want  of  religion. 
I  say  willful,  because  the  instances  I  have  mentioned  had  10 
something  of  necessity  in  them,  from  my  youth,  inexperi 
ence,  and  the  knavery  of  others.  I  had  therefore  a 
tolerable  character  to  begin  the  world  with;  I  valued  it 
properly,  and  determined  to  preserve  it. 

We  had  not  been  long  returned  to  Philadelphia  beforelS 
the  new  types  arrived  from  London.     We  settled  with 
Keimer,  and  left  him  by  his  consent  before  he  heard  of  it. 
We  found  a  house  to  hire  near  the  market,  and  took  it. 
To   lessen   the   rent,   which   was   then   but   twenty-four 
pounds  a  year,  though  I  have  since  known  it  to  let  for 20 
seventy,  we  took  in  Thomas  Godfrey,  a  glazier,  and  his 
family,  who  were  to  pay  a  considerable  part  of  it  to  us, 
and  we  to  board  with  them.     We  had  scarce  opened  our 
letters  and  put  our  press  in  order,  before  George  House, 
an  acquaintance  of  mine,  brought  a  countryman  to  us, 25 
whom  he  had  met  in  the  street  inquiring  for  a  printer. 
All  our  cash  was  now  expended  in  the  variety  of  particu 
lars  we  had  been  obliged  to  procure,  and  this  country 
man's  five  shillings,  being  our  first-fruits,  and  coming  so 
seasonably,  gave  me  more  pleasure  than  any  crown  I  have 30 
since  earned;  and  the  gratitude  I  felt  toward  House  has 
made  me  often  more  ready  than  perhaps  I  should  other 
wise  have  been  to  assist  young  beginners. 

There  are  croakers  in  every  country,  always  boding  its 


68  Franklin's  Autobiography 

ruin.  Such  a  one  then  lived  in  Philadelphia;  a  person 
of  note,  an  elderly  man,  with  a  wise  look  and  a  very 
grave  manner  of  speaking;  his  name  was  Samuel  Mickle. 
This  gentleman,  a  stranger  to  me,  stopped  one  day  at  my 
5 door,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  -the  young  man  who  had 
lately  opened  a  new  printing-house.  Being  answered  in 
the  affirmative,  he  said  he  was  sorry  for  me,  because  it 
was  an  expensive  undertaking,  and  the  expense  would  be 
lost;  for  Philadelphia  was  a  sinking  place,  the  people 

lOalready  half  bankrupts,  or  near  being  so;  all  appearances 
to  the  contrary,  such  as  new  buildings  and  the  rise  of 
rents,  being  to  his  certain  knowledge  fallacious;  for  they 
were,  in  fact,  among  the  things  that  would  soon  ruin  us. 
And  he  gave  me  such  a  detail  of  misfortunes  now  existing, 

15or  that  were  soon  to  exist,  that  he  left  me  half  melancholy. 
Had  I  known  him  before  I  engaged  in  this  business, 
probably  I  never  should  have  done  it.  This  man  con 
tinued  to  live  in  this  decaying  place,  and  to  declaim  in 
the  same  strain,  refusing  for  many  years  to  buy  a  house 

20there,  because  all  was  going  to  destruction ;  and  at  last  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  give  five  times  as  much  for 
one  as  he  might  have  bought  it  for  when  he  first  began 
his  croaking. 

I  should  have  mentioned  before,  that,  in  the  autumn  of 

25the  preceding  year,  I  had  formed  most  of  my  ingenious 
acquaintance  into  a  club  of  mutual  improvement,  which 
we  called  the  JUNTO;  we  met  on  Friday  evenings.  The 
rules  that  I  drew  up  required  that  every  member,  in  his 
turn,  should  produce  one  or  more  queries  on  any  point 

30of  Morals,  Politics,  or  Natural  Philosophy,  to  be  discussed 
by  the  company;  and  once  in  three  months  produce  and 
read  an  essay  of  his  own  writing,  on  any  subject  he 
pleased.  Our  debates  were  to  be  under  the  direction  of 
a  president,  and  to  be  conducted  in  the  sincere  spirit  of 


Franklin's  Autobiography  69 

inquiry  after  truth,  without  fondness  for  dispute,  or  desire 
of  victory;  and,  to  prevent  warmth,  all  expressions  of 
positiveness  in  opinions,  or  direct  contradiction,  were 
after  some  time  made  contraband,  and  prohibited  under 
small  pecuniary  penalties.  5 

The  first  members  were  Joseph  Brientnal,  a  copyer  of 
deeds  for  the  scriveners,  a  good-natured,  friendly  middle- 
aged  man,  a  great  lover  of  poetry,  reading  all  he  could 
meet  with,  and  writing  some  that  was  tolerable;  very 
ingenious  in  many  little  Nicknackeries,  and  of  sensible  10 
conversation. 

Thomas  Godfrey,  a  self-taught  mathematician,  great  in 
his  way,  and  afterward  inventor  of  what  is  now  called 
Hadley's  Quadrant.  But  he  knew  little  out  of  his  way, 
and  was  not  a  pleasing  companion;  as  like  most  great  15 
mathematicians  I  have  met  with,  he  expected  universal 
precision  in  everything  said,  or  was  forever  denying  or 
distinguishing  upon  trifles,  to  the  disturbance  of  all  con 
versation.  He  soon  left  us. 

Nicholas   Scull,   a  surveyor,   afterwards  surveyor-gen- 20 
eral,  who  loved  books,  and  sometimes  made  a  few  verses. 

William  Parsons,  bred  a  shoemaker,  but,  loving  read 
ing,   had  acquired  a  considerable  share  of  mathematics, 
which  he  first  studied  with  a  view  to  astrology,  that  he 
afterward    laughed    at    it.     He    also    became    surveyor-25 
general. 

William  Maugridge,  a  joiner,  a  most  exquisite  mechanic, 
and  a  solid,  sensible  man. 

Hugh  Meredith,  Stephen  Potts,  and  George  Webb  I 
have  characterized  before.  30 

Robert  Grace,  a  young  gentleman  of  some  fortune, 
generous,  lively,  and  witty;  a  lover  of  punning  and  of 
his  friends. 

And  William  Coleman,  then  a  merchant's  clerk,  about 


70  Franklin's  Autobiography 

my  age,  who  had  the  coolest,  clearest  head,  the  best 
heart,  and  the  exactest  morals  of  almost  any  man  I  ever 
met  with.  He  became  afterwards  a  merchant  of  great 
note,  and  one  of  our  provincial  judges.  Our  friendship 
Bcontinued  without  interruption  to  his  death,  upwards  of 
forty  years;  and  the  club  continued  almost  as  long,  and 
was  the  best  school  of  philosophy,  morality,  and  politics 
that  then  existed  in  the  province;  for  our  queries,  which 
were  read  the  week  preceding  their  discussion,  put  us 

lOupon  reading  with  attention  upon  the  several  subjects, 
that  we  might  speak  more  to  the  purpose;  and  here,  too, 
we  acquired  better  habits  of  conversation,  everything 
being  studied  in  our  rules  which  might  prevent  our  dis 
gusting  each  other.  From  hence  the  long  continuance  of 

15the  club,  which  I  shall  have  frequent  occasion  to  speak 
further  of  hereafter. 

But  my  giving  this  account  of  it  here  is  to  show  some 
thing  of  the  interest  I  had,  everyone  of  these  exerting 
themselves  in  recommending  business  to  us.  Breintnal 

20particularly  procured  us  from  the  Quakers  the  printing 
forty  sheets  of  their  history,  the  rest  being  to  be  done  by 
Keimer;  and  upon  this  we  worked  exceedingly  hard,  for 
the  price  was  low.  It  was  a  folio,  pro  patria  size,  in  pica, 
with  long  primer  notes.  I  composed  of  it  a  sheet  a  day. 

25and  Meredith  worked  it  off  at  press;  it  was  often  eleven  at 
night,  and  sometimes  later,  before  I  had  finished  my  dis 
tribution  for  the  next  day's  work,  for  the  little  jobs  sent  in 
by  our  other  friends  now  and  then  put  us  back.  But  so 
determined  I  was  to  continue  doing  a  sheet  a  day  of  the 

SOfolio,  that  one  night,  when,  having  imposed  my  forms, 
I  thought  my  day's  work  over,  one  of  them  by  accident 
was  broken,  and  two  pages  reduced  to  pi,  I  immediately 
distributed  and  composed  it  over  again  before  I  went  to 
bed;  and  this  industry,  visible  to  our  neighbors,  began 


Franklin's  Autobiography  71 

to  give  us  character  and  credit;  particularly,  I  was  told, 
that  mention  being  made  of  the  new  printing-office  at  the 
merchants'  Every-night  club,  the  general  opinion  was 
that  it  must  fail,  there  being  already  two  printers  in  the 
place,  Keimer  and  Bradford;  but  Dr.  Baird  (whom  you5 
and  I  saw  many  years  after  at  his  native  place,  St.  An 
drew's  in  Scotland)  gave  a  contrary  opinion:  "For  the 
industry  of  that  Franklin,"  says  he,  "  is  superior  to  any 
thing  I  ever  saw  of  the  kind;  I  see  him  still  at  work 
when  I  go  home  from  club,  and  he  is  at  work  again  be- 10 
fore  his  neighbors  are  out  of  bed."  This  struck  the  rest, 
and  we  soon  after  had  offers  from  one  of  them  to  supply 
us  with  stationery ;  but  as  yet  we  did  not  choose  to  engage 
in  shop  business. 

I  mention  this  industry  the  more  particularly  and  the  15 
more  freely,  though  it  seems  to  be  talking  in  my  own  praise, 
that  those  of  my  posterity,  who  shall  read  it,  may  know 
the  use  of  that  virtue,  when  they  see  its  effects  in  my 
favor  throughout  this  relation. 

George  Webb,  who  had  found  a  female  friend  that  Ient20 
him   wherewith   to   purchase   his   time   of   Keimer,   now 
came  to  offer  himself  as  a  journeyman  to  us.     We  could 
not  then  employ  him;  but  I  foolishly  let  him  know  as  a 
secret  that  I  soon  intended  to  begin  a  newspaper,  and  might 
then  have  work  for  him.     My  hopes  of  success,  as  I  told 25 
him,  were  founded  on  this,  that  the  then  only  newspaper, 
printed    by   Bradford,    was    a   paltry   thing,    wretchedly 
managed,  no  way  entertaining,  and  yet  was  profitable  to 
him ;  I  therefore  thought  a  good  paper  would  scarcely 
fail  of  good  encouragement.     I   requested  Webb  not  to  30 
mention  it;  but  he  told  it  to  Keimer,  who  immediately, 
to  be  beforehand  with  me,  published  proposals  for  print 
ing  one  himself,  on  which  Webb  was  to  be  employed.     I 
resented   this;  and,   to  counteract  them,   as   I  could  not 


72  Franklin's  Autobiography 

yet  begin  our  paper,  I  wrote  several  pieces  of  entertain 
ment  for  Bradford's  paper,  under  the  title  of  the  BUSY 
BODY,  which  Breintnal  continued  some  months.  By 
this  means  the  attention  of  the  public  was  fixed  on  that 
5paper,  and  Keimer's  proposals,  which  we  burlesqued  and 
ridiculed,  were  disregarded.  He  began  his  paper,  how 
ever,  and,  after  carrying  it  on  three-quarters  of  a  year, 
with  at  most  only  ninety  subscribers,  he  offered  it  to  me 
for  a  trifle;  and  I,  having  been  ready  some  time  to  go 

lOon  with  it,  took  it  in  hand  directly;  and  it  proved  in  a 
few  years  extremely  profitable  to  me. 

I  perceive  that  I  am  apt  to  speak  in  the  singular  num 
ber,  though  our  partnership  still  continued ;  the  reason  may 
be  that,  in  fact,  the  whole  management  of  the  business 

islay  upon  me.  Meredith  was  no  compositor,  a  poor  press 
man,  and  seldom  sober.  My  friends  lamented  my  con 
nection  with  him,  but  I  was  to  make  the  best  of  it. 

Our  first  papers  made  a  quite  different  appearance  from 
any  before  in  the  province;  a  better  type,  and  better 

20printed;  but  some  spirited  remarks  of  my  writing,  on  the 
dispute  then  going  on  between  Governor  Burnet  and  the 
Massachusetts  Assembly,  struck  the  principal  people,  oc 
casioned  the  paper  and  the  manager  of  it  to  be  much  talked 
of,  and  in  a  few  weeks  brought  them  all  to  be  our  sub- 

25scribers. 

Their  example  was  followed  by  many,  and  our  number 
went  on  growing  continually.  This  was  one  of  the  first 
good  effects  of  my  having  learned  a  little  to  scribble;  an 
other  was,  that  the  leading  men,  seeing  a  newspaper  now 

30i*n  the  hands  of  one  who  could  also  handle  a  pen,  thought  it 
convenient  to  oblige  and  encourage  me.  Bradford  still 
printed  the  votes,  and  laws,  and  other  public  business. 
He  had  printed  an  address  of  the  House  to  the  governor, 
in  a  coarse,  blundering  manner;  we  reprinted  it  elegantly 


Franklin's  Autobiography  73 

an4  correctly,  and  sent  one  to  every  member.  They 
were  sensible  of  the  difference:  it  strengthened  the  hands 
of  our  friends  in  the  House,  and  they  voted  us  their  print 
ers  for  the  year  ensuing. 

Among  my  friends  in  the  House  I  must  not  forget 5 
Mr.  Hamilton,  before  mentioned,  who  was  then  returned 
from  England,  and  had  a  seat  in  it.  He  interested 
himself  for  me  strongly  in  that  instance,  as  he  did  in 
many  others  afterward,  continuing  his  patronage  till  his 
death.  10 

Mr.  Vernon,  about  this  time,  put  me  in  mind  of  the 
debt  I  owed  him,  but  did  not  press  me.  I  wrote  him  an 
ingenuous  letter  of  acknowledgment,  craved  his  forbear 
ance  a  little  longer,  which  he  allowed  me,  and  as  soon  as 
I  was  able,  I  paid  the  principal  with  interest,  and  manylS 
thanks;  so  that  erratum  was  in  some  degree  corrected. 

But  now  another  difficulty  came  upon  me  which  I  had 
never  the  least  reason  to  expect.  Mr.  Meredith's  father, 
who  was  to  have  paid  for  our  printing-house,  according 
to  the  expectations  given  me,  was  able  to  advance  only  20 
one  hundred  pounds  currency,  which  had  been  paid ; 
and  a  hundred  more  was  due  to  the  merchant,  who  grew 
impatient,  and  sued  us  all.  We  gave  bail,  but  saw  that, 
if  the  money  could  not  be  raised  in  time,  the  suit  must 
soon  come  to  a  judgment  and  execution,  and  our  hope- 25 
ful  prospects  must,  with  us,  be  ruined,  as  the  press  and 
letters  must  be  sold  for  payment,  perhaps  at  half  price. 

In  this  distress  two  true  friends,  whose  kindness  I 
have  never  forgotten  nor  ever  shall  forget  while  I  can 
remember  anything,  came  to  me  separately,  unknown  to  30 
each  other,  and,  without  any  application  from  me,  offer 
ing  each  of  them  to  advance  me  all  the  money  that  should 
be  necessary  to  enable  me  to  take  the  whole  business  upon 
myself,  if  that  should  be  practicable;  but  they  did  not 


74  Franklin's  Autobiography 

like  my  continuing  the  partnership  with  Meredith,  who, 
as  they  said,  was  often  seen  drunk  in  the  streets,  and 
playing  at  low  games  in  alehouses,  much  to  our  discredit. 
These  two  friends  were  William  Coleman  and  Robert 
5 Grace.  I  told  them  I  could  not  propose  a  separation 
while  any  prospect  remained  of  the  Merediths'  fulfilling 
their  part  of  our  agreement,  because  I  thought  myself 
under  great  obligations  to  them  for  what  they  had  done, 
and  would  do  if  they  could;  but,  if  they  finally  failed  in 

lOtheir  performance,  and  our  partnership  must  be  dissolved, 
I  should  then  think  myself  at  liberty  to  accept  the  assist 
ance  of  my  friends. 

Thus  the  matter  rested  for  some  time,  when  I  said  to 
my  partner,   "  Perhaps  your  father  is  dissatisfied  at  the 

15part  you  have  undertaken  in  this  affair  of  ours,  and  is  un 
willing  to  advance  for  you  and  me  what  he  would  for  you 
alone.  If  that  is  the  case,  tell  me,  and  I  will  resign  the 
whole  to  you,  and  go  about  my  business."  "  No,"  said 
he,  "  my  father  has  really  been  disappointed,  and  is  really 

20unable;  and  I  am  unwilling  to  distress  him  farther.  I  see 
this  is  a  business  I  am  not  fit  for.  I  was  bred  a  farmer, 
and  it  was  a  folly  in  me  to  come  to  town,  and  put  myself, 
at  thirty  years  of  age,  an  apprentice  to  learn  a  new  trade. 
Many  of  our  Welsh  people  are  going  to  settle  in  North 

25Carolina,  where  land  is  cheap.  I  am  inclined  to  go  with 
them,  and  follow  my  old  employment.  You  may  find 
friends  to  assist  you.  If  you  will  take  the  debts  of  the 
company  upon  you;  return  to  my  father  the  hundred 
pounds  he  has  advanced ;  pay  my  little  personal  debts, 

30and  give  me  thirty  pounds  and  a  new  saddle,  I  will  re 
linquish  the  partnership,  and  leave  the  whole  in  your 
hands."  I  agreed  to  this  proposal;  it  was  drawn  up  in 
writing,  signed,  and  sealed  immediately.  I  gave  him 
what  he  demanded,  and  he  went  soon  after  to  Carolina, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  75 

from  whence  he  sent  me  next  year  two  long  letters,  con 
taining  the  best  account  that  had  been  given  of  that  coun 
try,  the  climate,  the  soil,  husbandry,  etc.,  for  in  those 
matters  he  was  very  judicious.  I  printed  them  in  the 
papers,  and  they  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the  public.  5 

As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  I  recurred  to  my  two  friends; 
and  because  I  would  not  give  an  unkind  preference  to 
either,  I  took  half  of  what  each  had  offered  and  I  wanted 
of  one,  and  half  of  the  other;  paid  off  the  company's  debts, 
and  went  on  with  the  business  in  my  own  name,  advertis-10 
ing  that  the  partnership  was  dissolved.  I  think  this  was 
in  or  about  the  year  1729. 

VIII 

BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FIRST  PUBLIC 
SERVICE 

ABOUT  this  time  there  was  a  cry  among  the  people  for 
more  paper  money,  only  fifteen  thousand  pounds  being 
extant  in  the  province,  and  that  soon  to  be  sunk.  Thei5 
wealthy  inhabitants  opposed  any  addition,  being  against 
all  paper  currency,  from  an  apprehension  that  it  would 
depreciate,  as  it  had  done  in  New  England,  to  the  prej 
udice  of  all  creditors.  We  had  discussed  this  point  in 
our  Junto,  where  I  was  on  the  side  of  an  addition,  being20 
persuaded  that  the  first  small  sum  struck  in  1723  had 
done  much  good  by  increasing  the  trade,  employment, 
and  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  province,  since  I  now 
saw  all  the  old  houses  inhabited,  and  many  new  ones 
building:  whereas  I  remembered  well,  that  when  I  first25 
walked  about  the  streets  of  Philadelphia,  eating  my  roll, 
I  saw  most  of  the  houses  in  Walnut  Street,  between 
Second  and  Front  Streets,  with  bills  on  their  doors,  "  To 


76  Franklin's  Autobiography 

be  let ;  "  and  many  likewise  in  Chestnut  Street  and  othej 
streets,  which  made  me  then  think  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city  were  deserting  it  one  after  another. 

Our  debates  possessed  me  so  fully  of  the  subject,  that 
6l  wrote  and  printed  an  anonymous  pamphlet  on  it, 
entitled  The  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a  Paper  Cur- 
rency.  It  was  well  received  by  the  common  people  in 
general;  but  the  rich  men  disliked  it,  for  it  increased  and 
strengthened  the  clamor  for  more  money,  and  they  hap- 

lOpening  to  have  no  writers  among  them  that  were  able 
to  answer  it,  their  opposition  slackened,  and  the  point 
was  carried  by  a  majority  in  the  House.  My  friends 
there,  who  conceived  I  had  been  of  some  service,  thought 
fit  to  reward  me  by  employing  me  in  printing  the  money; 

15a  very  profitable  job  and  a  great  help  to  me.  This  was 
another  advantage  gained  by  my  being  able  to  write. 

The  utility  of  this  currency  became  by  time  and  expe 
rience  so  evident  as  never  afterwards  to  be  much  dis 
puted  ;  so  that  it  grew  soon  to  fifty-five  thousand  pounds, 

20and  in  1739  to  eighty  thousand  pounds,  since  which  it 
arose  during  war  to  upwards  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  pounds,  trade,  building,  and  inhabitants  all  the 
while  increasing,  though  I  now  think  there  are  limits 
beyond  which  the  quantity  may  be  hurtful. 

25  I  soon  after  obtained,  through  my  friend  Hamilton,  the 
printing  of  the  Newcastle  paper  money,  another  profit 
able  job  as  I  then  thought  it;  small  things  appearing 
great  to  those  in  small  circumstances;  and  these,  to  me, 
were  really  great  advantages,  as  they  were  great  encour- 

SOagements.  He  procured  for  me,  also,  the  printing  of 
the  laws  and  votes  of  that  government,  which  continued 
in  my  hands  as  long  as  I  followed  the  business. 

I  now  opened  a  little  stationer's  shop.  I  had  in  it 
blanks  of  all  sorts,  the  correctest  that  ever  appeared 


Franklin's  Autobiography  77 

among  us,  being  assisted  in  that  by  my  friend  Breintnal. 
I  had  also  paper,  parchment,  chapmen's  books,  etc.  One 
Whitemash,  a  compositor  I  had  known  in  London,  an 
excellent  workman,  now  came  to  me,  and  worked  with 
me  constantly  and  diligently;  and  I  took  an  apprentice^ 
the  son  of  Aquila  Rose. 

I  began  now  gradually  to  pay  off  the  debt  I  was  under 
for  the  printing-house.  In  order  to  secure  my  credit  and 
character  as  a  tradesman,  I  took  care  not  only  to  be  in 
reality  industrious  and  frugal,  but  to  avoid  all  appearancesio 
to  the  contrary.  I  dressed  plainly ;  I  was  seen  at  no  places 
of  idle  diversion.  I  never  went  out  a  fishing  or  shooting ; 
a  book,  indeed,  sometimes  debauched  me  from  my  work, 
but  that  was  seldom,  snug,  and  gave  no  scandal;  and,  to 
show  that  I  was  not  above  my  business,  I  sometimes  15 
brought  home  the  paper  I  purchased  at  the  stores  through 
the  streets  on  a  wheelbarrow.  Thus  being  esteemed  an 
industrious,  thriving  young  man,  and  paying  duly  for  what 
I  bought,  the  merchants  who  imported  stationery  solicited 
my  custom;  others  proposed  supplying  me  with  books, 20 
and  I  went  on  swimmingly.  In  the  meantime,  Keimer's 
credit  and  business  declining  daily,  he  was  at  last  forced 
to  sell  his  printing-house  to  satisfy  his  creditors.  He 
went  to  Barbadoes,  and  there  lived  some  years  in  very 
poor  circumstances.  25 

His  apprentice,  David  Harry,  whom  I  had  instructed 
while  I  worked  with  him,  set  up  in  his  place  at  Philadel 
phia,  having  bought  his  materials.  I  was  at  first  appre 
hensive  of  a  powerful  rival  in  Harry,  as  his  friends  were 
very  able,  and  had  a  good  deal  of  interest.  I  thereforeso 
proposed  a  partnership  to  him,  which  he,  fortunately  for 
me,  rejected  with  scorn.  He  was  very  proud,  dressed  like 
a  gentleman,  lived  expensively,  took  much  diversion  and 
pleasure  abroad,  ran  in  debt,  and  neglected  his  business; 


78  Franklin's  Autobiography 

upon  which,  all  business  left  him;  and,  finding  nothing 
to  do,  he  followed  Keimer  to  Barbadoes,  taking  the  print 
ing-house  with  him.  There  this  apprentice  employed 
his  former  master  as  a  journeyman ;  they  quarrelled  often ; 
5  Harry  went  continually  behindhand,  and  at  length  was 
forced  to  sell  his  types  and  return  to  his  country  work  in 
Pennsylvania.  The  person  that  bought  them  employed 
Keimer  to  use  them,  but  in  a  few  years  he  died. 

There  remained  now  no  competitor  with  me  at  Phila- 

lOdelphia  but  the  old  one,  Bradford ;  who  was  rich  and 
easy,  did  a  little  printing  now  and  then  by  straggling 
hands,  but  was  not  very  anxious  about  the  business. 
However,  as  he  kept  the  post-office,  it  was  imagined  he 
had  better  opportunities  of  obtaining  news;  his  paper 

15was  thought  a  better  distributer  of  advertisements  than 
mine,  and  therefore  had  many  more,  which  was  a  profit 
able  thing  to  him,  and  a  disadvantage  to  me;  for,  though 
I  did  indeed  receive  and  send  papers  by  the  post,  yet  the 
public  opinion  was  otherwise,  for  what  I  did  send 

20was  by  bribing  the  riders,  who  took  them  privately, 
Bradford  being  unkind  enough  to  forbid  it,  which  occa 
sioned  some  resentment  on  my  part;  and  I  thought  so 
meanly  of  him  for  it,  that,  when  I  afterwrard  came  into  his 
situation,  I  took  care  never  to  imitate  it. 

25  I  had  hitherto  continued  to  board  with  Godfrey,  who 
lived  in  part  of  my  house  with  his  wife  and  children,  and 
had  one  side  of  the  shop  for  his  glazier's  business,  though 
he  worked  little,  being  always  absorbed  in  his  mathematics. 
Mrs.  Godfrey  projected  a  match  for  me  with  a  relation's 

SOdaughter,  took  opportunities  of  bringing  us  often  together, 
till  a  serious  courtship  on  my  part  ensued,  the  girl  being 
in  herself  very  deserving.  The  old  folks  encouraged  me 
by  continual  invitations  to  supper,  and  by  leaving  us  to 
gether,  till  at  length  it  was  time  to  explain.  Mrs.  God- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  79 

frey  managed  our  little  treaty.  I  let  her  know  that  I  ex 
pected  as  much  money  with  their  daughter  as  would  pay 
off  my  remaining  debt  for  the  printing-house,  which  I 
believe  was  not  then  above  a  hundred  pounds.  She 
brought  me  word  they  had  no  such  sum  to  spare;  I  said  5 
they  might  mortgage  their  house  in  the  loan-office.  The 
answer  to  this,  after  some  days,  was,  that  they  did  not 
approve  the  match;  that,  on  inquiry  of  Bradford,  they 
had  been  informed  the  printing  business  was  not  a  profit 
able  one;  the  types  would  soon  be  worn  out,  and  morelO 
wanted ;  that  S.  Keimer  and  D.  Harry  had  failed  one 
after  the  other,  and  I  should  probably  soon  follow  them; 
and,  therefore,  I  was  forbidden  the  house,  and  the  daugh 
ter  shut  up. 

Whether  this  was  a  real  change  of  sentiment  or  onlylS 
artifice,  on  a  supposition  of  our  being  too  far  engaged  in 
affection  to  retract,  and  therefore  that  we  should  steal  a 
marriage,  which  would  leave  them  at  liberty  to  give  or 
withhold  what  they  pleased,  I  know  not;  but  I  suspected 
the  latter,  resented  it,  and  went  no  more.     Mrs.  Godfrey 20 
brought  me  afterward  some  more  favorable  accounts  of 
their  disposition,  and  would  have  drawn  me  on  again; 
but  I  declared  absolutely  my  resolution  to  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  that  family.     This  was  resented  by  the 
Godfreys;  we  differed,  and  they  removed,  leaving  me  the25 
whole  house,  and  I  resolved  to  take  no  more  inmates. 

But  this  affair  having  turned  my  thoughts  to  marriage, 
I  looked  round  me  and  made  overtures  of  acquaintance  in 
other  places ;  but  soon  found  that,  the  business  of  a  printer 
being  generally  thought  a  poor  one,  I  was  not  to  expect  30 
money  with  a  wife,  unless  with  such  a  one  as  I  should 
not  otherwise  think  agreeable.  A  friendly  correspond 
ence  as  neighbors  and  old  acquaintances  had  continued 
between  me  and  Mrs.  Read's  family,  who  all  had  a  re^ 


80  Franklin's  Autobiography 

gard  for  me  from  the  time  of  my  first  lodging  in  their 
house.  I  was  often  invited  there  and  consulted  in  their 
affairs,  wherein  I  sometimes  was  of  service.  I  pitied 
poor  Miss  Read's  unfortunate  situation,  who  was  gen- 
5erally  dejected,  seldom  cheerful,  and  avoided  company. 
I  considered  my  giddiness  and  inconstancy  when  in  Lon 
don  as  in  a  great  degree  the  cause  of  her  unhappiness, 
though  the  mother  was  good  enough  to  think  the  fault 
more  her  own  than  mine,  as  she  had  prevented  our 

lOmarrying  before  I  went  thither,  and  persuaded  the  other 
match  in  my  absence.  Our  mutual  affection  was  revived, 
but  there  were  now  great  objections  to  our  union.  The 
match  was  indeed  looked  upon  as  invalid,  a  preceding 
wife  being  said  to  be  living  in  England ;  but  this  could  not 

ISeasily  be  proved,  because  of  the  distance;  and,  though 
there  was  a  report  of  his  death,  it  was  not  certain.  Then, 
though  it  should  be  true,  he  had  left  many  debts,  which 
his  successor  might  be  called  upon  to  pay.  We  ventured, 
however,  over  all  these  difficulties,  and  I  took  her  to  wife 

20September  1st,  1730.  None  of  the  inconveniences  hap 
pened  that  we  had  apprehended ;  she  proved  a  good 
and  faithful  helpmate,  assisted  me  much  by  attending  the 
shop ;  we  throve  together,  and  have  ever  mutually  en 
deavored  to  make  each  other  happy.  Thus  I  corrected 

2  5 that  great  erratum  as  well  as  I  could. 

About  this  time,  our  club  meeting,  not  at  a  tavern,  but 
in  a  little  room  of  Mr.  Grace's,  set  apart  for  that  purpose, 
a  proposition  was  made  by  me,  that,  since  our  books 
were  often  referred  to  in  our  disquisitions  upon'  the 

SOqueries,  it  might  be  convenient  to  us  to  have  them  alto 
gether  where  we  met,  that  upon  occasion  they  might  be 
consulted;  and  by  thus  clubbing  our  books  to  a  common 
library,  we  should,  while  we  liked  to  keep  them  together, 
have  each  of  us  the  advantage  of  using  the  books  of  all 


Franklin's  Autobiography  8 1 

the  other  members,  which  would  be  nearly  as  beneficial 
as  if  each  owned  the  whole.  It  was  liked  and  agreed  to, 
and  we  filled  one  end  of  the  room  with  such  books  as  we 
could  best  spare.  The  number  was  not  so  great  as  we 
expected;  and  though  they  had  been  of  great  use,  yet5 
£ome  inconveniences  occurring  for  want  of  due  care  of 
them,  the  collection,  after  about  a  year,  was  separated, 
and  each  took  his  books  home  again. 

And  now  I  set  on  foot  my  first  project  of  a  public 
nature,  that  for  a  subscription  library.  I  drew  up  the  10 
proposals,  got  them  put  into  form  by  our  great  scrivener, 
Brockden,  and,  by  the  help  of  my  friends  in  the  Junto, 
procured  fifty  subscribers  of  forty  shillings  each  to  begin 
with,  and  ten  shillings  a  year  for  fifty  years,  the  term  our 
company  was  to  continue.  We  afterwards  obtained  al5 
charter,  the  company  being  increased  to  one  hundred; 
this  was  the  mother  of  all  the  North  American  subscrip 
tion  libraries,  now  so  numerous.  It  is  become  a  great 
thing  itself,  and  continually  increasing.  These  libraries 
have  improved  the  general  conversation  of  the  Americans,  20 
made  the  common  tradesmen  and  farmers  as  intelligent 
as  most  gentlemen  from  other  countries,  and  perhaps 
have  contributed  in  some  degree  to  the  stand  so  gen 
erally  made  throughout  the  colonies  in  defense  of  their 
privileges.  25 

Mem0.  Thus  far  was  written  with  the  intention  ex 
pressed  in  the  beginning  and  therefore  contains  several 
little  family  anecdotes  of  no  importance  to  others.  What 
follows  was  written  many  years  after.  The  affairs  of 
the  Revolution  occasioned  the  interruption.  30 

[Continuation  of  the  Account  of  my  Life,  begun  at  Passy, 
near  Paris,  1784.] 

It  is  some  time  since  I  received  the  above  letters  [two 


82  Franklin's  Autobiography 

letters   omitted   in    this   edition],    but    I    have   been    too 

busy  till  now  to  think  of  complying  with   the  request 

they  contain.     It  might,  too,  be  much  better  done  if  I 

were  at  home  among  my  papers,  which  would  aid  my 

Bmemory,  and  help  to  ascertain  dates;  but  my  return  being 

uncertain,  and  having  just  now  a  little  leisure,  I  will 

endeavor  to  recollect  and  write  what  I  can;  if  I  live  to 

get  home,  it  may  there  be  corrected  and  improved. 

Not  having  any  copy  here  of  what  is  already  written,  I 

loknow  not  whether  an  account  is  given  of  the  means  I 
used  to  establish  the  Philadelphia  public  library,  which, 
from  a  small  beginning,  is  now  become  so  considerable, 
though  I  remember  to  have  come  down  to  near  the  time 
of  that  transaction  (1730).  I  will  therefore  begin  here 

15with  an  account  of  it,  which  may  be  struck  out  if  found 
to  have  been  already  given. 

At  the  time  I  established  myself  in  Pennsylvania,  there 
was  not  a  good  bookseller's  shop  in  any  of  the  colonies 
to  the  southward  of  Boston.  In  New  York  and  Philadel- 

20phia  the  printers  were  indeed  stationers;  they  sold  only 
paper,  etc.,  almanacs,  ballads,  and  a  few  common  school- 
books.  Those  who  loved  reading  were  obliged  to  send 
for  their  books  from  England ;  the  members  of  the  Junto 
had  each  a  few.  We  had  left  the  alehouse,  where  we 

25first  met,  and  hired  a  room  to  hold  our  club  in.  I  pro 
posed  that  we  should  all  of  us  bring  our  books  to  that 
room,  where  they  would  not  only  be  ready  to  consult  in 
our  conferences,  but  become  a  common  benefit,  each  of 
us  being  at  liberty  to  borrow  such  as  he  wished  to  read 

30at  home.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  for  some 
time  contented  us. 

Finding  the  advantage  of  this  little  collection,  I  pro 
posed  to  render  the  benefit  from  books  more  common, 
by  commencing  a  public  subscription  library.  I  drew 


Franklin's  Autobiography  83 

a  sketch  of  the  plan  and  rules  that  would  be  necessary, 
and  got  a  skilful  conveyancer,  Mr.  Charles  Brockden, 
to  put  the  whole  in  form  of  articles  of  agreement  to  be 
subscribed,  by  which  each  subscriber  engaged  to  pay  a 
certain  sum  down  for  the  first  purchase  of  books,  and  an  5 
annual  contribution  for  increasing  them.  So  few  were 
the  readers  at  that  time  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  ma 
jority  of  us  so  poor,  that  I  was  not  able,  with  great 
industry,  to  find  more  than  fifty  persons,  mostly  young 
tradesmen,  willing  to  pay  down  for  this  purpose  forty  10 
shillings  each,  and  ten  shillings  per  annum.  On  this 
little  fund  we  began.  The  books  were  imported;  the 
library  was  opened  one  day  in  the  week  for  lending  to 
the  subscribers,  on  their  promissory  notes  to  pay  double 
the  value  if  not  duly  returned.  The  institution  soon  15 
manifested  its  utility,  was  imitated  by  other  towns,  and 
in  other  provinces.  The  libraries  were  augmented  by 
donations;  reading  became  fashionable;  and  our  people, 
having  no  public  amusements  to  divert  their  attention 
from  study,  became  better  acquainted  with  books,  and  in  20 
a  few  years  were  observed  by  strangers  to  be  better 
instructed  and  more  intelligent  than  people  of  the  same 
rank  generally  are  in  other  countries. 

When  we  were  about  to  sign  the  above-mentioned  arti 
cles,  which  were  to  be  binding  on  us,  our  heirs,  etc.,  for25 
fifty   years,    Mr.    Brockden,    the   scrivener,    said   to   us, 
"  You  are  young  men,  but  it  is  scarcely  probable  that 
any  of  you  will  live  to  see  the  expiration  of  the  term 
fixed  in  the  instrument."     A  number  of  us,  however,  are 
yet  living;   but  the   instrument  was   after  a   few  yearsso 
rendered  null  by  a  charter  that  incorporated  and  gave 
perpetuity  to  the  company. 

The  objections  and  reluctances  I  met  with  in  soliciting 
the  subscriptions,  made  me  soon  feel  the  impropriety  of 


84  Franklin's  Autobiography 

presenting  one's  self  as  the  proposer  of  any  useful  proj 
ect,  that  might  be  supposed  to  raise  one's  reputation  in 
the  smallest  degree  above  that  of  one's  neighbors,  when 
one  has  need  of  their  assistance  to  accomplish  that  proj- 
5ect.  I  therefore  put  myself  as  much  as  I  could  out  of 
sight,  and  stated  it  as  a  scheme  of  a  number  of  friends, 
who  had  requested  me  to  go  about  and  propose  it  to  such 
as  they  thought  lovers  of  reading.  In  this  way  my  affair 
went  on  more  smoothly,  and  I  ever  after  practised  it  on 

lOsuch  occasions;  and,  from  my  frequent  successes,  can 
heartily  recommend  it.  The  present  little  sacrifice  of 
your  vanity  will  afterwards  be  amply  repaid.  If  it  re- 
main§  a  while  uncertain  to  whom  the  merit  belongs, 
someone  more  vain  than  yourself  will  be  encouraged  to 

Hclaim  it,  and  then  even  envy  will  be  disposed  to  do  you 
justice  by  plucking  those  assumed  feathers,  and  restoring 
them  to  their  right  owner. 

This  library  afforded  me  the  means  of  improvement  by 
constant  study,  for  which  I  set  apart  an  hour  or  two  each 

EOday,  and  thus  repaired  in  some  degree  the  loss  of  the 
learned  education  my  father  once  intended  for  me. 
Reading  was  the  only  amusement  I  allowed  myself.  I 
spent  no  time  in  taverns,  games,  or  frolics  of  any  kind; 
and  my  industry  in  my  business  continued  as  indefatiga- 

J5ble  as  it  was  necessary.  I  was  indebted  for  my  printing- 
house;  I  had  a  young  family  coming  on  to  be  educated, 
and  I  had  to  contend  for  business  with  two  printers,  who 
were  established  in  the  place  before  me.  My  circum 
stances,  however,  grew  daily  easier.  My  original  habits 

|0of  frugality  continuing,  and  my  father  having,  among  his 
instructions  to  me  when  a  boy,  frequently  repeated  a  prov 
erb  of  Solomon,  "  Seest  thou  a  man  diligent  in  his  call 
ing,  he  shall  stand  before  kings,  he  shall  not  stand  before 
mean  men,"  I  from  thence  considered  industry  as  a  means 
of  obtaining  wealth  and  distinction,  which  encouraged  me2 


Franklin's  Autobiography  85 

though  I  did  not  think  that  I  should  ever  literally  stand 
before  kings,  which,  however,  has  since  happened;  for  I 
have  stood  before  five,  and  even  had  the  honor  of  sit 
ting  down  with  one,  the  King  of  Denmark,  to  dinner. 

We  have  an  English  proverb  that  says,  "  He  that  wouldS 
thrive,  must  ask  his  wife."     It  was  lucky  for  me  that  I 
had  one  as  much  disposed  to  industry  and  frugality  as  my 
self.     She  assisted  me  cheerfully  in  my  business,  folding 
and   stitching   pamphlets,   tending   shop,   purchasing   old 
linen  rags  for  the  paper-makers,  etc.,  etc.     We  kept  no  10 
idle  servants,  our  table  was  plain  and  simple,  our  furni 
ture  of  the  cheapest.     For  instance,  my  breakfast  was  a 
long  time  bread  and  milk  (no  tea),  and  I  ate  it  out  of  a 
twopenny  earthen  porringer,  with  a  pewter  spoon.     But 
mark  how  luxury  will  enter  families,  and  make  a  progress,  15 
in  spite  of  principle;  being  called  one  morning  to  break 
fast,  I  found  it  in  a  china  bowl,  with  a  spoon  of  silver! 
They  had  been  bought  for  me  without  my  knowledge  by 
my  wife,  and  had  cost  her  the  enormous  sum  of  three-and- 
twenty  shillings,  for  which  she  had  no  other  excuse  or 20 
apology  to  make,  but  that  she  thought  her  husband  de 
served  a  silver  spoon  and  china  bowl  as  well  as  any  of  his 
neighbors.     This  was  the  first  appearance  of  plate  and 
china  in  our  house,  which  afterward,  in  a  course  of  years, 
as  our  wealth  increased,  augmented  gradually  to  several  25 
hundred  pounds  in  value. 

I  had  been  religiously  educated  as  a  Presbyterian;  and 
though  some  of  the  dogmas  of  that  persuasion,  such  as  the 
eternal  decrees  of  God,  election,  reprobation,  etc.,  appeared 
to  me  unintelligible,  others  doubtful,  and  I  early  absented 30 
myself  from  the  public  assemblies  of  the  sect,  Sunday  being 
my  studying  day,  I  never  was  without  some  religious  prin 
ciples.  I  never  doubted,  for  instance,  the  existence  of 
the  Deity;  that  he  made  the  world,  and  governed  it  by 
his  Providence;  that  the  most  acceptable  service  of  God 


86  Franklin's  Autobiography 

was  the  doing  good  to  man;  that  our  souls  are  immortal; 
and  that  all  crime  will  be  punished,  and  virtue  rewarded, 
either  here  or  hereafter.  These  I  esteemed  the  essentials 
of  every  religion;  and,  being  to  be  found  in  all  the  reli- 
Bgions  we  had  in  our  country,  I  respected  them  all,  though 
with  different  degrees  of  respect,  as  I  found  them  more 
or  less  mixed  with  other  articles,  which,  without  any  tend 
ency  to  inspire,  promote,  or  confirm  morality,  served 
principally  to  divide  us,  and  make  us  unfriendly  to  one 

lOanother.  This  respect  to  all,  with  an  opinion  that  the 
worst  had  some  good  effects,  induced  me  to  avoid  all 
discourse  that  might  tend  to  lessen  the  good  opinion 
another  might  have  of  his  own  religion ;  and  as  our  prov 
ince  increased  in  people,  and  new  places  of  worship  were 

15continually  wanted,  and  generally  erected  by  voluntary 
contribution,  my  mite  for  such  purpose,  whatever  might 
be  the  sect,  was  never  refused. 

Though  I  seldom  attended  any  public  worship,  I  had 
still  an  opinion  of  its  propriety,  and  of  its  utility  when 

2orightly  conducted,  and  I  regularly  paid  my  annual  sub 
scription  for  the  support  of  the  only  Presbyterian  min 
ister  or  meeting  we  had  in  Philadelphia.  He  used  to 
visit  me  sometimes  as  a  friend,  and  admonish  me  to  at 
tend  his  administrations,  and  I  was  now  and  then  prevailed 

25on  to  do  so,  once  for  five  Sundays  successively.  Had  he 
been  in  my  opinion  a  good  preacher,  perhaps  I  might 
have  continued,  notwithstanding  the  occasion  I  had  for 
the  Sunday's  leisure  in  my  course  of  study;  but  his  dis 
courses  were  chiefly  either  polemic  arguments,  or  explica- 

BOtions  of  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  our  sect,  and  were  all  to 
me  very  dry,  uninteresting,  and  unedifying,  since  not  a 
single  moral  principle  was  inculcated  or  enforced,  their 
aim  seeming  to  be  rather  to  make  us  Presbyterians  than 
good  citizens. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  87 

At  length  he  took  for  his  text  that  verse  of  the  fourth 
chapter  of  Philippians,  "Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever 
things  are  true,  honest,  just,  pure,  lovely,  or  of  good  re 
port,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  or  any  praise,  think  on  these 
things."  And  I  imagined,  in  a  sermon  on  such  a  text, 5 
we  could  not  miss  of  having  some  morality.  But  he 
confined  himself  to  five  points  only,  as  meant  by  the  apostle, 
viz.:  I.  Keeping  holy  the  Sabbath  day.  2.  Being  dili 
gent  in  reading  the  holy  Scriptures.  3.  Attending  duly 
the  public  worship.  4.  Partaking  of  the  Sacrament.  5.10 
Paying  a  due  respect  to  God's  ministers.  These  might 
be  all  good  things;  but,  as  they  were  not  the  kind  of  good 
things  that  I  expected  from  that  text,  I  despaired  of  ever 
meeting  with  them  from  any  other,  was  disgusted,  and 
attended  his  preaching  no  more.  I  had  some  years  be- 15 
fore  composed  a  little  Liturgy,  or  form  of  prayer,  for  my 
own  private  use  (viz.,  in  1728),  entitled,  Articles  of  Belief 
and  Acts  of  Religion.  I  returned  to  the  use  of  this,  and 
went  no  more  to  the  public  assemblies.  My  conduct 
might  be  blameable,  but  I  leave  it,  without  attempting  20 
further  to  excuse  it;  my  present  purpose  being  to  relate 
facts,  and  not  to  make  apologies  for  them. 

IX 

PLAN  FOR  ATTAINING  MORAL   PERFEC 
TION 

IT  was  about  this  time  I  conceived  the  bold  and  ar 
duous  project  of  arriving  at  moral  perfection.  I  wished 
to  live  without  committing  any  fault  at  any  time;  I  would25 
conquer  all  that  either  natural  inclination,  custom,  or 
company  might  lead  me  into.  As  I  knew,  or  thought 
I  knew,  what  was  right  and  wrong,  I  did  not  see  why  I 
might  not  always  do  the  one  and  avoid  the  other.  But  I 


88  Franklin's  Autobiography 

soon  found  I  had  undertaken  a  task  of  more  difficulty 
than  I  had  imagined.  While  my  care  was  employed  in 
guarding  against  one  fault,  I  was  often  surprised  by 
another:  habit  took  the  advantage  of  inattention;  in- 
Bclination  was  sometimes  too  strong  for  reason.  I  con 
cluded,  at  length,  that  the  mere  speculative  conviction 
that  it  was  our  interest  to  be  completely  virtuous,  was 
not  sufficient  to  prevent  our  slipping;  and  that  the  con 
trary  habits  must  be  broken,  and  good  ones  acquired  and 

lOestablished,  before  we  can  have  any  dependence  on  a 
steady,  uniform  rectitude  of  conduct.  For  this  purpose 
I  therefore  contrived  the  following  method. 

In  the  various  enumerations  of  the  moral  virtues  I  had 
met  with  in  my  reading,  I  found  the  catalogue  more  or 

15less  numerous,  as  different  writers  included  more  or 
fewer  ideas  under  the  same  name.  Temperance,  for  ex 
ample,  was  by  some  confined  to  eating  and  drinking,  while 
by  others  it  was  extended  to  mean  the  moderating  every 
other  pleasure,  appetite,  inclination,  or  passion,  bodily  or 

20mental,  even  to  our  avarice  and  ambition.  I  proposed 
to  myself,  for  the  sake  of  clearness,  to  use  rather  more 
names,  with  fewer  ideas  annexed  to  each,  than  a  few 
names  with  more  ideas;  and  I  included  under  thirteen 
names  of  virtues  all  that  at  that  time  occurred  to  me 

25as  necessary  or  desirable,  and  annexed  to  each  a  short 
precept,  which  fully  expressed  the  extent  I  gave  to  its 
meaning. 

These  names  of  virtues,  with  their  precepts,  were: 

1.  TEMPERANCE. 

30     Eat  not  to  dullness;  drink  not  to  elevation. 

2.  SILENCE. 

Speak  not  but  what  may  benefit  others  or  yourself; 
avoid  trifling  conversation. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  89 

3.  ORDER. 

Let  all  your  things  have  their  places;  let  each  part  of 
your  business  have  its  time. 

4.  RESOLUTION. 

Resolve  to  perform  what  you  ought;  perform  without5 
fail  what  you  resolve. 

5.  FRUGALITY. 

Make  no  expense  but  to  do  good  to  others  or  yourself ; 
i.  e.f  waste  nothing. 

6.  INDUSTRY.  10 
Lose  no  time;  be  always  employed  in  something  use 
ful;  cut  off  all  unnecessary  actions. 

7.  SINCERITY. 

Use  no  hurtful  deceit ;  think  innocently  and  justly ;  and, 
if  you  speak,  speak  accordingly.  15 

8.  JUSTICE. 

Wrong  none  by  doing  injuries,  or  omitting  the  benefits 
that  are  your  duty. 

9.  MODERATION. 

Avoid  extremes;  forbear  resenting  injuries  so  much  as20 
you  think  they  deserve. 

10.  CLEANLINESS. 

Tolerate  no  uncleanliness  in  body,  clothes,  or  habitation. 

11.  TRANQUILLITY. 

Be  not  disturbed  at  trifles,  or  at  accidents  common  or  2 5 
unavoidable. 

12.  CHASTITY. 

13.  HUMILITY. 
Imitate  Jesus  zni  Socrates. 


9<3  Franklin's  Autobiography 

My  intention  being  to  acquire  the  habitude  of  all  these 
virtues,  I  judged  it  would  be  well  not  to  distract  my  at 
tention  by  attempting  the  whole  at  once,  but  to  fix  it  on 
one  of  them  at  a  time;  and,  when  I  should  be  master  of 
5that,  then  to  proceed  to  another,  and  so  on,  till  I  should 
have  gone  through  the  thirteen;  and,  as  the  previous  ac 
quisition  of  some  might  facilitate  the  acquisition  of  cer 
tain  others,  I  arranged  them  with  that  view,  as  they 
stand  above.  Te?nperance  first,  as  it  tends  to  procure 

lOthat  coolness  and  clearness  of  head,  which  is  so  nec 
essary  where  constant  vigilance  was  to  be  kept  up,  and 
guard  maintained  against  the  unremitting  attraction  of 
ancient  habits,  and  the  force  of  perpetual  temptations. 
This  being  acquired  and  established,  Silence  would  be 

15more  easy;  and  my  desire  being  to  gain  knowledge  at 
the  same  time  that  I  improved  in  virtue,  and  considering 
that  in  conversation  it  was  obtained  rather  by  the  use  of 
the  ears  than  of  the  tongue,  and  therefore  wishing  to 
break  a  habit  I  was  getting  into  of  prattling,  punning,  and 

20Joking,  which  only  made  me  acceptable  to  trifling  com 
pany,  I  gave  Silence  the  second  place.  This  and  the 
next,  Order,  I  expected  would  allow  me  more  time  for 
attending  to  my  project  and  my  studies.  Resolution, 
once  become  habitual,  would  keep  me  firm  in  my  en- 

25deavors  to  obtain  all  the  subsequent  virtues;  Frugality 
and  Industry  freeing  me  from  my  remaining  debt,  and 
producing  affluence  and  independence,  would  make  more 
easy  the  practice  of  Sincerity  and  Justice,  etc.,  etc.  Con 
ceiving  then,  that,  agreeably  to  the  advice  of  Pythagoras 

30in  his  Golden  Verses,  daily  examination  would  be  neces 
sary,  I  contrived  the  following  method  for  conducting  that 
examination. 

I  made  a  little  book,  in  which  I  allotted  a  page  for 
each  of  the  virtues.     I  ruled  each  page  with  red  ink,  so 


Franklin's  Autobiography 


91 


as  to  have  seven  columns,  one  for  each  day  of  the  week, 
marking  each  column  with  a  letter  for  the  day.  I  crossed 
these  columns  with  thirteen  red  lines,  marking  the  begin 
ning  of  each  line  with  the  first  letter  of  one  of  the  virtues, 
on  which  line,  and  in  its  proper  column,  I  might  mark,  by 5 
a  little  black  spot,  every  fault  I  found  upon  examination 
to  have  been  committed  respecting  that  virtue  upon  that 
day. 

Form  of  the  pages. 


TEMPERANCE. 

BAT    NOT   TO    DULLNESS; 
DRINK    NOT    TO    ELEVATION. 

S. 

M. 

T. 

W. 

T. 

F. 

S. 

T. 

S. 

* 

# 

# 

ft 

o. 

*     * 

# 

* 

* 

* 

• 

R. 

* 

# 

F. 

* 

* 

I. 

* 

S. 

J. 

M. 

C. 

T. 

C. 
H. 

I  determined  to  give  a  week's  strict  attention  to  each 


92  Franklin's  Autobiography 

of  the  virtues  successively.  Thus,  in  the  first  week,  ray 
great  guard  was  to  avoid  every  the  least  offense  against 
Temperance,  leaving  the  other  virtues  to  their  ordinary 
chance,  only  marking  every  evening  the  faults  of  the  day. 
5 Thus,  if  in  the  first  week  I  could  keep  my  first  line, 
marked  T,  clear  of  spots,  I  supposed  the  habit  of  that 
virtue  so  much  strengthened,  and  its  opposite  weakened, 
that  I  might  venture  extending  my  attention  to  include 
the  next,  and  for  the  following  week  keep  both  lines  clear 

lOof  spots.  Proceeding  thus  to  the  last,  I  could  go  through 
a  course  complete  in  thirteen  weeks,  and  four  courses  in  a 
year.  And  like  him  who,  having  a  garden  to  weed, 
does  not  attempt  to  eradicate  all  the  bad  herbs  at  once, 
which  would  exceed  his  reach  and  his  strength,  but  works 

I5on  one  of  the  beds  at  a  time,  and,  having  accomplished 
the  first,  proceeds  to  a  second,  so  I  should  have,  I  hoped, 
the  encouraging  pleasure  of  seeing  on  my  pages  the  prog 
ress  I  made  in  virtue,  by  clearing  successively  my  lines 
of  their  spots,  till  in  the  end,  by  a  number  of  courses,  I 

2oshould  be  happy  in  viewing  a  clean  book,  after  a  thirteen 
weeks'  daily  examination. 

This  my  little  book  had  for  its  motto  these  lines  from 
Addison's  Cato: 

"  Here  will  I  hold.     If  there's  a  power  above  us 
25  (And  that  there  is,  all  nature  cries  aloud 

Through  all  her  works),  He  must  delight  in  virtue; 
And  that  which  he  delights  in  must  be  happy." 

Another  from  Cicero: 

"O    vitae    Philosophia    dux!     O    virtutum    indagatrix    expul- 
3Qtrixque  vitiorum !     Unus   dies,   bene   et  ex   praeceptis   tuis   actus, 
peccanti   immortalitati  est  anteponendus." 

Another  from  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,   speaking  of 
wisdom  or  virtue: 


Franklin's  Autobiography  93 

"Length  of  days  is  in  her  right  hand,  and  in  her  left  hand 
riches  and  honor.  Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all 
her  paths  are  peace."  iii.  16,  17. 

And  conceiving  God  to  be  the  fountain  of  wisdom,  I 
thought  it  right  and  necessary  to  solicit  his  assistance  for  5 
obtaining  it;   to   this  end   I   formed  the  following  little 
prayer,  which  was  prefixed  to  my  tables  of  examination, 
for  daily  use. 

"  0   powerful   Goodness!  bountiful  Father!  merciful   Guide! 
Increase  In  me  that  wisdom  which  discovers  my  truest  Interest.^ 
Strengthen    my    resolutions   to   perform   what   that   wisdom    die- 
tales.     Accept  my  kind  offices  to  thy  other  children  as  the  only 
return  in  my  power  for  thy  continual  favors  to  me." 

I  used  also  sometimes  a  little  prayer  which  I  took  from 
Thomson's  Poems,  viz.:  15 

"Father  of  light  and   life,  thou  Good   Supreme! 
O  teach  me  what  is  good;  teach  me  Thyself! 
Save  me  from  folly,  vanity,  and  vice, 
From  every  low   pursuit;    and   fill  my  soul 
With  knowledge,  conscious  peace,  and  virtue  pure;  20 

Sacred,   substantial,   never-fading  bliss!" 

The  precept  of  Order  requiring  that  every  part  of  my 
business  should  have  Its  allotted  time,  one  page  in  my  little 
book  contained  the  following  scheme  of  employment  for 
the  twenty-four  hours  of  a  natural  day.  25 


THE  MORNING. 
Question.     What     good 
shall   I  do  this  day? 


Rise,  wash,  and  ad 
dress  Powerful  Goodness! 
Contrive  day's  business, 
and  take  the  resolution  of 
the  day;  prosecute  the  30 
present  study,  and  break 
fast. 


Franklin's  Autobiography 


NOON. 


10 


EVENING. 

Question.      What    good 
have  I  have  done  to-day? 


15 


20 


NIGHT, 


Work. 


Read,    or    overlook    my 
accounts,    and   dine. 


Work. 


Put  things  in  their 
places.  Supper.  Music 
or  diversion,  or  conversa 
tion.  Examination  of  the 
day. 


Sleep. 


I  entered  upon  the  execution  of  this  plan  for  self- 
examination,  and  continued  it  with  occasional  intermis- 

25sions  for  some  time.  I  was  surprised  to  find  myself  so 
much  fuller  of  faults  than  I  had  imagined ;  but  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  them  diminish.  To  avoid  the 
trouble  of  renewing  now  and  then  my  little  book,  which 
by  scraping  out  the  marks  on  the  paper  of  old  faults  to 

SOmake  room  for  new  ones  in  a  new  course,  became  full  of 
holes,  I  transferred  my  tables  and  precepts  to  the  ivory 
leaves  of  a  memorandum  book,  on  which  the  lines  were 
drawn  with  red  ink,  that  made  a  durable  stain,  and  on 
those  lines  I  marked  my  faults  with  a  black-lead  pencil, 
which  marks  I  could  easily  wipe  out  with  a  wet  sponge. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  95 

After  a  while  I  went  through  one  course  only  in  a  year, 
and  afterward  only  one  in  several  years,  till  at  length  I 
omitted  them  entirely,  being  employed  in  voyages  and 
business  abroad,  with  a  multiplicity  of  affairs  that  inter 
fered;  but  I  always  carried  my  little  book  with  me.  5 

My  scheme  of  ORDER  gave  me  the  most  trouble;  and 
I  found  that,  though  it  might  be  practicable  where  a  man's 
business  was  such  as  to  leave  him  the  disposition  of  his 
time,  that  of  a  journeyman  printer,  for  instance,  it  was 
not  possible  to  be  exactly  observed  by  a  master,  who  10 
must  mix  with  the  world,  and  often  receive  people  of 
business  at  their  own  hours.  Order,  too,  with  regard 
to  places  for  things,  papers,  etc.,  I  found  extremely  dif 
ficult  to  acquire.  I  had  not  been  early  accustomed  to  it, 
and,  having  an  exceeding  good  memory,  I  was  not  so!5 
sensible  of  the  inconvenience  attending  want  of  method. 
This  article,  therefore,  cost  me  so  much  painful  atten 
tion,  and  my  faults  in  it  vexed  me  so  much,  and  I  made 
so  little  progress  in  amendment,  and  had  such  frequent 
relapses,  that  I  was  almost  ready  to  give  up  the  attempt,  20 
and  content  myself  with  a  faulty  character  in  that  respect, 
like  the  man  who,  in  buying  an  ax  of  a  smith,  my  neigh 
bor,  desired  to  have  the  whole  of  its  surface  as  bright 
as  the  edge.  The  smith  consented  to  grind  it  bright  for 
him  if  he  would  turn  the  wheel;  he  turned,  while  the 25 
smith  pressed  the  broad  face  of  the  ax  hard  and  heavily 
on  the  stone,  which  made  the  turning  of  it  very  fatiguing. 
The  man  came  every  now  and  then  from  the  wheel  to 
see  how  the  work  went  on,  and  at  length  would  take  his 
ax  as  it  was,  without  farther  grinding.  "  No,"  said  the30 
smith,  "  turn  on,  turn  on ;  we  shall  have  it  bright  by-and- 
by;  as  yet,  it  is  only  speckled."  "Yes,"  says  the  man, 
"  but  I  think  I  like  a  speckled  ax  best."  And  I  believe 
this  may  have  been  the  case  with  many,  who,  having,  for 


96  Franklin's  Autobiography 

want  of  some  such  means  as  I  employed,  found  the  diffi 
culty  of  obtaining  good  and  breaking  bad  habits  in  other 
points  of  vice  and  virtue,  have  given  up  the  struggle,  and 
concluded  that  "  a  speckled  ax  was  best; Jf  for  some- 
5thing,  that  pretended  to  be  reason,  was  every  now  and 
then  suggesting  to  me  that  such  extreme  nicety  as  I 
exacted  of  myself  might  be  a  kind  of  foppery  in  morals, 
which,  if  it  were  known,  would  make  me  ridiculous ;  that 
a  perfect  character  might  be  attended  with  the  incon- 

lOvenience  of  being  envied  and  hated ;  and  that  a  benevo 
lent  man  should  allow  a  few  faults  in  himself,  to  keep  his 
friends  in  countenance. 

In  truth,  I  found  myself  incorrigible  with  respect  to 
Order;  and  now  I  am  grown  old,  and  my  memory  bad, 

15l  feel  very  sensibly  the  want  of  it.  But,  on  the  whole, 
though  I  never  arrived  at  the  perfection  I  had  been  so 
ambitious  of  obtaining,  but  fell  far  short  of  it,  yet  I  was, 
by  the  endeavor,  a  better  and  a  happier  man  than  I 
otherwise  should  have  been  if  I  had  not  attempted  it; 

20as  those  who  aim  at  perfect  writing  by  imitating  the  en 
graved  copies,  though  they  never  reach  the  wished-for 
excellence  of  those  copies,  their  hand  is  mended  by  the 
endeavor,  and  is  tolerable  while  it  continues  fair  and 
legible. 

25  It  may  be  well  my  posterity  should  be  informed  that 
to  this  little  artifice,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  their 
ancestor  owed  the  constant  felicity  of  his  life,  down  to  his 
79th  year,  in  which  this  is  written.  What  reverses  may 
attend  the  remainder  is  in  the  hand  of  Providence;  but, 

30if  they  arrive,  the  reflection  on  past  happiness  enjoyed 
ought  to  help  his  bearing  them  with  more  resignation. 
To  Temperance  he  ascribes  his  long-continued  health, 
and  what  is  still  left  to  him  of  a  good  constitution;  to 
Industry  and  Frugality,  the  early  easiness  of  his  circum- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  97 

stances  and  acquisition  of  his  fortune,  with  all  that  knowl 
edge  that  enabled  him  to  be  a  useful  citizen,  and  obtained 
for  him  some  degree  of  reputation  among  the  learned;  to 
Sincerity  and  Justice,  the  confidence  of  his  country,  and 
the  honorable  employs  it  conferred  upon  him;  and  to  the5 
joint  influence  of  the  whole  mass  of  the  virtues,  even  in 
the  imperfect  state  he  was  able  to  acquire  them,  all  that 
evenness  of  temper,  and  that  cheerfulness  in  conversation, 
which  makes  his  company  still  sought  for,  and  agreeable 
even  to  his  younger  acquaintance.  I  hope,  therefore,  thatlO 
some  of  my  descendants  may  follow  the  example  and  reap 
the  benefit. 

It  will  be  remarked  that,  though  my  scheme  was  not 
wholly  without  religion,  there  was  in  it  no  mark  of  any  of 
the  distinguishing  tenets  of  any  particular  sect.     I  had  pur-15 
posely  avoided  them;  for,  being  fully  persuaded  of  the 
utility  and  excellency  of  my  method,  and  that  it  might  be 
serviceable  to  people  in  all  religions,  and  intending  some 
time  or  other  to  publish  it,  I  would  not  have  anything 
in  it  that  should  prejudice  anyone,  of  any  sect,  against20 
it.     I  purposed  writing  a  little  comment  on  each  virtue, 
in  which  I  would  have  shown  the  advantages  of  possessing 
it,  and  the  mischiefs  attending  its  opposite  vice;  and  I 
should  have  called  my  book  THE  ART  OF  VIRTUE,  because 
it  would  have  shown  the  means  and  manner  of  obtaining 25 
virtue,  which  would  have  distinguished  it  from  the  mere 
exhortation   to  be  good,  that  does  not  instruct  and  in 
dicate  the  means,  but  is  like  the  apostle's  man  of  verbal 
chanty,   who   only  without   showing  to   the   naked   and 
hungry  how  or  where  they  might  get  clothes  or  victuals, 30 
exhorted  them  to  be  fed  and  clothed. — James  ii.  15,  16. 

But  it  so  happened  that  my  intention  of  writing  and 
publishing  this  comment  was  never  fulfilled.  I  did,  in 
deed,  from  time  to  time,  put  down  short  hints  of  the  sen- 


98  Franklin's  Autobiography 

timents,  reasonings,  etc.,  to  be  made  use  of  in  it,  some 
of  which  I  have  still  by  me;  but  the  necessary  close 
attention  to  private  business  in  the  earlier  part  of  my  life, 
and  public  business  since,  have  occasioned  my  postpon- 
5 ing  it;  for,  it  being  connected  in  my  mind  with  a  great 
and  extensive  project,  that  required  the  whole  man  to 
execute,  and  which  an  unforeseen  succession  of  employs 
prevented  my  attending  to,  it  has  hitherto  remained  un 
finished. 

10  In  this  piece  it  was  my  design  to  explain  and  enforce 
this  doctrine,  that  vicious  actions  are  not  hurtful  because 
they  are  forbidden,  but  forbidden  because  they  are  hurt 
ful,  the  nature  of  man  alone  considered;  that  it  was, 
therefore,  everyone's  interest  to  be  virtuous  who  wished 

15to  be  happy  even  in  this  world;  and  I  should,  from  this 
circumstance  (there  being  always  in  the  world  a  number 
of  rich  merchants,  nobility,  states,  and  princes,  who  have 
need  of  honest  instruments  for  the  management  of  their 
affairs,  and  such  being  so  rare),  have  endeavored  to 

20convince  young  persons  that  no  qualities  were  so  likely 
to  make  a  poor  man's  fortune  as  those  of  probity  and 
integrity. 

My  list  of  virtues  contained  at  first  but  twelve;  but  a 
Quaker  friend  having  kindly  informed  me  that  I  was  gen- 

25erally  thought  proud;  that  my  pride  showed  itself  fre 
quently  in  conversation;  that  I  was  not  content  with 
being  in  the  right  when  discussing  any  point,  but  was 
overbearing,  and  rather  insolent,  of  which  he  convinced 
me  by  mentioning  several  instances;  I  determined  en- 

SOdeavoring  to  cure  myself,  if  I  could,  of  this  vice  or  folly 
among  the  rest,  and  I  added  Humility  to  my  list,  giving 
an  extensive  meaning  to  the  word. 

I  cannot  boast  of  much  success  in  acquiring  the  reality 
of  this  virtue,  but  I  had  a  good  deal  with  regard  to  the 


Franklin's  Autobiography  99 

appearance  of  it.  I  made  it  a  rule  to  forbear  all  direct 
contradiction  to  the  sentiments  of  others,  and  all  positive 
assertion  of  my  own.  I  even  forbid  myself,  agreeably  to 
the  old  laws  of  our  Junto,  the  use  of  every  word  or  ex 
pression  in  the  language  that  imported  a  fixed  opinion, 5 
such  as  certainly,  undoubtedly,  etc.,  and  I  adopted,  instead 
of  them,  /  conceive,  I  apprehend,  or  /  imagine  a  thing  to 
be  so  or  so;  'or  it  so  appears  to  me  at  present.  When 
another  asserted  something  that  I  thought  an  error,  I 
denied  myself  the  pleasure  of  contradicting  him  abruptly,10 
and  of  showing  immediately  some  absurdity  in  his  propo 
sition;  and  in  answering  I  began  by  observing  that  in 
certain  cases  or  circumstances  his  opinion  would  be  right, 
but  in  the  present  case  there  appeared  or  seemed  to  me 
some  difference,  etc.  I  soon  found  the  advantage  of  thislS 
change  in  my  manner;  the  conversations  I  engaged  in 
went  on  more  pleasantly.  The  modest  way  in  which  I 
proposed  my  opinions  procured  them  a  readier  reception 
and  less  contradiction;  I  had  less  mortification  when  I 
was  found  to  be  in  the  wrong,  and  I  more  easily  prevailed 20 
with  others  to  give  up  their  mistakes  and  join  with  me 
when  I  happened  to  be  in  the  right. 

And  this  mode,  which  I  at  first  put  on  with  some  vio 
lence  to  natural  inclination,  became  at  length  so  easy,  and 
so  habitual  to  me,  that  perhaps  for  these  fifty  years  past  no25 
one  has  ever  heard  a  dogmatical  expression  escape  me. 
And  to  this  habit  (after  my  character  of  integrity)  I  think 
it  principally  owing  that  I  had  early  so  much  weight 
with  my  fellow-citizens  when  I  proposed  new  institutions, 
or  alterations  in  the  old,  and  so  much  influence  in  public 30 
councils  when  I  became  a  member;  for  I  was  but  a  bad 
speaker,  never  eloquent,  subject  to  much  hesitation  in  my 
choice  of  words,  hardly  correct  in  language,  and  yet  I 
generally  carried  my  points. 


ioo  Franklin's  Autobiography 

In  reality,  there  is,  perhaps,  no  one  of  our  natural  pas 
sions  so  hard  to  subdue  as  pride.  Disguise  it,  struggle 
with  it,  beat  it  down,  stifle  it,  mortify  it  as  much  as  one 
pleases,  it  is  still  alive,  and  will  every  now  and  then  peep 
out  and  show  itself ;  you  will  see  it,  perhaps,  often  in  this 
history;  for,  even  if  I  could  conceive  that  I  had  com 
pletely  overcome  it,  I  should  probably  be  proud  of  my 
humility. 

[Thus  far  written  at  Passy,   1784.] 

10["/  dm  now  about  to  write  at  home,  August,  1788,  but 
cannot  have  the  help  expected  from  my  papers,  many 
of  them  being  lost  in  the  war.  I  have,  however, 
found  the  following"] 

HAVING  mentioned  a  great  and  extensive  project  which 
151  had  conceived,  it  seems  proper  that  some  account  should 
be  here  given  of  that  project  and  its  object.         Its  first 
rise  in  my  mind  appears  in  the  following  little  paper,  ac 
cidentally  preserved,  viz.: 

Observations  on  my  reading  history,  in  Library,  May 
2019th,  I73L 

"  That  the  great  affairs  of  the  world,  the  wars,  revolu 
tions,  etc.,  are  carried  on  and  effected  by  parties. 

"  That  the  view  of  these  parties  is  their  present  general 
interest,  or  what  they  take  to  be  such. 
25     "  That  the  different  views  of  these  different  parties 
occasion  all  confusion. 

"  That  while  a  party  is  carrying  on  a  general  design, 
each  man  has  his  particular  private  interest  in  view. 

"  That  as  soon  as  a  party  has  gained  its  general  point, 
SOeach  member  becomes  intent  upon  his  particular  interest, 
which,  thwarting  others,  breaks  that  party  into  divisions, 
and  occasions  more  confusion. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  101 

"  That  few  in  public  affairs  act  from  a  mere  view  of 
the  good  of  their  country,  whatever  they  may  pretend; 
and,  though  their  actings  bring  real  good  to  their  country, 
yet  men  primarily  considered  that  their  own  and  their 
country's  interest  was  united,  and  did  not  act  from  a5 
principle  of  benevolence. 

"  That  fewer  still,  in  public  affairs,  act  with  a  view  to 
the  good  of  mankind. 

"  There  seems  to  me  at  present  to  be  great  occasion 
for  raising  a  United  Party  for  Virtue,  by  forming  the  10 
virtuous  and  good  men  of  all  nations  into  a  regular  body, 
to  be  governed  by  suitable  good  and  wise  rules,  which  good 
and  wise  men  may  probably  be  more  unanimous  in  their 
obedience  to,  than  common  people  are  to  common  laws. 

"  I  at  present  think  that  whoever  attempts  this  aright,  15 
and  is  well  qualified,  cannot  fail  of  pleasing  God,  and  of 
meeting  with  success.  B.  F." 

Revolving  this  project  in  my  mind,  as  to  be  undertaken 
hereafter,  when  my  circumstances  should  afford  me  the 
necessary  leisure,  I  put  down  from  time  to  time,  on  pieces 20 
of  paper,  such  thoughts  as  occurred  to  me  respecting  it; 
Most  of  these  are  lost;  but  I  find  one  purporting  to  be 
the    substance    of    an    intended    creed,    containing,    as    I 
thought,  the  essentials  of  every  known  religion,  and  being 
free  of  everything  that  might  shock  the  professors  of  any25 
religion.     It  is  expressed  in  these  words,  viz.: 

"  That  there  is  one  God,  who  made  all  things. 

"  That  he  governs  the  world  by  his  providence. 

"  That  he  ought  to  be  worshiped  by  adoration,  prayer, 
and  thanksgiving.  30 

"  But  that  the  most  acceptable  service  of  God  is  doing  j 
good  to  man. 

"  That  the  soul  is  immortal. 


IO2  Franklin's  Autobiography 

"  And  that  God  will  certainly  reward  virtue  and  punish 
vice,  either  here  or  hereafter." 

My  ideas  at  that  time  were,  that  the  sect  should  be 
begun  and  spread  at  first  among  young  and  single  men 
Sonly;  that  each  person  to  be  initiated  should  not  only 
declare  his  assent  to  such  creed,  but  should  have  ex 
ercised  himself  with  the  thirteen  weeks'  examination  and 
practice  of  the  virtues,  as  in  the  before-mentioned  model ; 
that  the  existence  of  such  a  society  should  be  kept  a 

lOsecret,  till  it  was  become  considerable,  to  prevent  solici 
tations  for  the  admission  of  improper  persons,  but  that 
the  members  should  each  of  them  search  among  his 
acquaintance  for  ingenuous,  well-disposed  youths,  to 
whom,  with  prudent  caution,  the  scheme  should  be  grad- 

ISually  communicated ;  that  the  members  should  engage  to 
afford  their  advice,  assistance,  and  support  to  each  other 
in  promoting  one  another's  interests,  business,  and  advance 
ment  in  life;  that,  for  distinction,  we  should  be  called 
The  Society  of  the  Free  and  Easy:  free,  as  being,  by 

20the  general  practice  and  habit  of  the  virtues,  free  from 
the  dominion  of  vice;  and  particularly  by  the  practice  of 
industry  and  frugality,  free  from  debt,  which  exposes  a 
man  to  confinement,  and  a  species  of  slavery  to  his 
creditors. 

25  This  is  as  much  as  I  can  now  recollect  of  the  project, 
except  that  I  communicated  it  in  part  to  two  young  men, 
who  adopted  it  with  some  enthusiasm;  but  my  then 
narrow  circumstances,  and  the  necessity  I  was  under  of 
sticking  close  to  my  business,  occasioned  my  postponing 

SOthe  further  prosecution  of  it  at  that  time;  and  my  multi 
farious  occupations,  public  and  private,  induced  me  to 
continue  postponing,  so  that  it  has  been  omitted  till  I 
have  no  longer  strength  or  activity  left  sufficient  for  such 
an  enterprise;  though  I  am  still  of  opinion  that  it  was  a 


Franklin's  Autobiography  103 

practicable  scheme,  and  might  have  been  very  useful,  by 
forming  a  great  number  of  good  citizens;  and  I  was  not 
discouraged  by  the  seeming  magnitude  of  the  undertaking, 
as  I  have  always  thought  that  one  man  of  tolerable  abilities 
may  work  great  changes,  and  accomplish  great  affairsS 
among  mankind,  if  he  first  forms  a  good  plan,  and,  cutting 
off  all  amusements  or  other  employments  that  would  di 
vert  his  attention,  makes  the  execution  of  that  same  plan 
his  sole  study  and  business. 


POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANAC  AND  OTHER 
ACTIVITIES 

IN    1732    I    first   published    my   Almanac,   under   theio 
name  of  Richard  Saunders;  it  was  continued  by  me  about 
twenty-five  years,   commonly  called   Poor  Richard's  Al 
manac.     I  endeavored  to  make  it  both  entertaining  and 
useful,  and  it  accordingly  came  to  be  in  such  demand, 
that   I   reaped   considerable   profit   from   it,  vending  an-15 
nually  near  ten   thousand.     And  observing  that  it  was 
generally  read,  scarce  any  neighborhood  in  the  province 
being  without  it,  I  considered  it  as  a  proper  vehicle  for 
conveying   instruction   among   the   common   people,   who 
bought  scarcely  any  other  books ;  I  therefore  filled  all  the20 
little  spaces  that  occurred  between  the  remarkable  days 
in   the   calendar  with   proverbial   sentences,   chiefly  such 
as   inculcated    industry   and    frugality,    as   the    means   of 
procuring  wealth,  and  thereby  securing  virtue;  it  being 
more  difficult  for  a  man  in  want,  to  act  always  honestly, 2 5 
as,  to  use  here  one  of  those  proverbs,  it  is  hard  for  an 
empty  sack  to  stand  upright. 

These  proverbs,  which  contained  the  wisdom  of  many 


IO4  Franklin's  Autobiography 

ages  and  nations,  I  assembled  and  formed  into  a  connected 
discourse  prefixed  to  the  Almanac  of  1757,  as  the  harangue 
of  a  wise  old  man  to  the  people  attending  an  auction. 
The  bringing  all  these  scattered  councils  thus  into  a 
5  focus  enabled  them  to  make  greater  impression.  The 
piece,  being  universally  approved,  was  copied  in  all  the 
newspapers  of  the  Continent;  reprinted  in  Britain  on  a 
broadside,  to  be  stuck  up  in  houses ;  two  translations  were 
made  of  it  in  French,  and  great  numbers  bought  by  the 

lOclergy  and  gentry,  to  distribute  gratis  among  their  poor 
parishioners  and  tenants.  In  Pennsylvania,  as  it  dis 
couraged  useless  expense  in  foreign  superfluities,  some 
thought  it  had  its  share  of  influence  in  producing  that 
growing  plenty  of  money  which  was  observable  for  several 

15years  after  its  publication. 

I  considered  my  newspaper,  also,  as  another  means  of 
communicating  instruction,  and  in  that  view  frequently 
reprinted  in  it  extracts  from  the  Spectator,  and  other 
moral  writers;  and  sometimes  published  little  pieces  of 

20my  own,  which  had  been  first  composed  for  reading  in 
our  Junto.  Of  these  are  a  Socratic  dialogue,  tending  to 
prove  that,  whatever  might  be  his  parts  and  abilities,  a 
vicious  man  could  not  properly  be  called  a  man  of  sense; 
and  a  discourse  on  self-denial,  showing  that  virtue  was 

25not  secure  till  its  practice  became  a  habitude,  and  was 

free  from  the  opposition  of  contrary  inclinations.     These 

may  be  found  in  the  papers  about  the  beginning  of  1735. 

In  the  conduct  of  my  newspaper,  I  carefully  excluded 

all  libeling  and  personal   abuse,   which   is  of  late  years 

SObecome  so  disgraceful  to  our  country.  Whenever  I  was 
solicited  to  insert  anything  of  that  kind,  and  the  writers 
pleaded,  as  they  generally  did,  the  liberty  of  the  press, 
and  that  a  newspaper  was  like  a  stage-coach,  in  which 
anyone  who  would  pay  had  a  right  to  a  place,  my 


Franklin's  Autobiography  105 

answer  was,  that  I  would  print  the  piece  separately  if 
desired,  and  the  author  might  have  as  many  copies  as  he 
pleased  to  distribute  himself,  but  that  I  would  not  take 
upon  me  to  spread  his  detraction ;  and  that,  having 
contracted  with  my  subscribers  to  furnish  them  with  whatS 
might  be  either  useful  or  entertaining,  I  could  not  fill 
their  papers  with  private  altercation,  in  which  they  had 
no  concern,  without  doing  them  manifest  injustice.  Now, 
many  of  our  printers  make  no  scruple  of  gratifying  the 
malice  of  individuals  by  false  accusations  of  the  fairestltf 
characters  among  ourselves,  augmenting  animosity  even  to 
the  producing  of  duels;  and  are,  moreover,  so  indiscreet 
as  to  print  scurrilous  reflections  on  the  government  of 
neighboring  states,  and  even  on  the  conduct  of  our  best 
national  allies,  which  may  be  attended  with  the  most  per- 15 
nicious  consequences.  These  things  I  mention  as  a  cau 
tion  to  young  printers,  and  that  they  may  be  encouraged 
not  to  pollute  their  presses  and  disgrace  their  profession 
by  such  infamous  practices,  but  refuse  steadily,  as  they 
may  see  by  my  example  that  such  a  course  of  conduct 20 
will  not,  on  the  whole,  be  injurious  to  their  interests. 
In  1733  I  sent  one  of  my  journeymen  to  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  where  a  printer  was  wanting.  I  fur 
nished  him  with  a  press  and  letters,  on  an  agreement  of 
partnership,  by  which  I  was  to  receive  one-third  of  the 25 
profits  of  the  business,  paying  one-third  of  the  expense. 
He  was  a  man  of  learning,  and  honest  but  ignorant  in 
matters  of  account;  and,  though  he  sometimes  made  me 
remittances,  I  could  get  no  account  from  him,  nor  any 
satisfactory  state  of  our  partnership  while  he  lived.  On  30 
his  decease,  the  business  was  continued  by  his  widow, 
who,  being  born  and  bred  in  Holland,  where,  as  I  have 
been  informed,  the  knowledge  of  accounts  makes  a  part 
of  female  education,  she  not  only  sent  me  as  clear  a  state 


io6  Franklin's  Autobiography 

as  she  could  find  of  the  transactions  past,  but  continued 
to  account  with  the  greatest  regularity  and  exactness 
every  quarter  afterwards,  and  managed  the  business  with 
such  success,  that  she  not  only  brought  up  reputably  a 
Sfamily  of  children,  but,  at  the  expiration  of  the  term, 
was  able  to  purchase  of  me  the  printing-house,  and  estab 
lish  her  son  in  it. 

I  mention  this  affair  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  recom 
mending  that  branch  of  education  for  our  young  females, 

lOas  likely  to  be  of  more  use  to  them  and  their  children,  in 
case  of  widowhood,  than  either  music  or  dancing,  by 
preserving  them  from  losses  by  imposition  of  crafty  men, 
and  enabling  them  to  continue,  perhaps,  a  profitable 
mercantile  house,  with  established  correspondence,  till  a 

15son  is  grown  up  fit  to  undertake  and  go  on  with  it,  to 
the  lasting  advantage  and  enriching  of  the  family. 

About  the  year  1734  there  arrived  among  us  from 
Ireland  a  young  Presbyterian  preacher,  named  Hemphill, 
who  delivered  with  a  good  voice,  and  apparently  extem- 

20pore,  most  excellent  discourses,  which  drew  together  con 
siderable  numbers  of  different  persuasions,  who  joined 
in  admiring  them.  Among  the  rest,  I  became  one  of  his 
constant  hearers,  his  sermons  pleasing  me,  as  they  had 
little  of  the  dogmatical  kind,  but  inculcated  strongly  the 

25practice  of  virtue,  or  what  in  the  religious  style  are 
called  good  works.  Those,  however,  of  our  congregation, 
who  considered  themselves  as  orthodox  Presbyterians, 
disapproved  his  doctrine,  and  were  joined  by  most  of  the 
old  clergy,  who  arraigned  him  of  heterodoxy  before  the 

SOsynod,  in  order  to  have  him  silenced.  I  became  his  zeal 
ous  partisan,  and  contributed  all  I  could  to  raise  a  party 
in  his  favor,  and  we  combated  for  him  awhile  with  some 
hopes  of  success.  There  was  much  scribbling  pro  and  con 
upon  the  occasion;  and  finding  that,  though  an  elegant 


Franklin's  Autobiography  107 

preacher,  he  was  but  a  poor  writer,  I  lent  him  my  pen 
and  wrote  for  him  two  or  three  pamphlets,  and  one  piece  in 
the  Gazette  of  April,  1735.  Those  pamphlets,  as  is  gen 
erally  the  case  with  controversial  writings,  though  eagerly 
read  at  the  time,  were  soon  out  of  vogue,  and  I  questions 
whether  a  single  copy  of  them  now  exists. 

During   the   contest   an    unlucky   occurrence   hurt   his 
cause  exceedingly.     One  of  our  adversaries  having  heard 
him  preach  a  sermon  that  was  much  admired,  thought  he 
had   somewhere   read   the  sermon  before,   or   at  least  alO 
part  of   it.     On   search,   he   found   that   part   quoted   at 
length,  in  one  of  the  British  Reviews,  from  a  discourse 
of  Dr.  Foster's.     This  detection  gave  many  of  our  party 
disgust,  who  accordingly  abandoned   his  cause,   and  oc 
casioned  our  more  speedy  discomfiture  in  the  synod.     1 15 
stuck  by  him,  however,  as  I  rather  approved  his  giving  us 
good  sermons  composed  by  others,  than  bad  ones  of  his 
own  manufacture,  though  the  latter  was  the  practice  of  our 
common   teachers.     He   afterward   acknowledged   to   me 
that  none  of  those  he  preached  were  his  own;  adding, 20 
that  his  memory  was  such  as  enabled  him  to  retain  and 
repeat  any  sermon  after  one  reading  only.     On  our  de 
feat,  he  left  us  in  search  elsewhere  of  better  fortune,  and 
I  quitted  the  congregation,  never  joining  it  after,  though 
I  continued  many  years  my  subscription  for  the  support25 
of  its  ministers. 

I  had  begun  in  1733  to  study  languages;  I  soon  made 
myself  so  much  a  master  of  the  French  as  to  be  able  to 
read  the  books  with  ease.  I  then  undertook  the  Italian. 
An  acquaintance,  who  was  also  learning  it,  used  often  to 30 
tempt  me  to  play  chess  with  him.  Finding  this  took  up 
too  much  of  the  time  I  had  to  spare  for  study,  I  at  length 
refused  to  play  any  more,  unless  on  this  condition,  that 
the  victor  in  every  game  should  have  a  right  to  impose  a 


io8  Franklin's  Autobiography 

task,  either  in  parts  of  the  grammar  to  be  got  by  heart, 
or  in  translations,  etc.,  which  tasks  the  vanquished  was  to 
perform  upon  honor,  before  our  next  meeting.     As  we 
played  pretty  equally,  we  thus  beat  one  another  into  that 
Slanguage.     I    afterwards   with    a   little   painstaking,   ac 
quired  as  much  of  the  Spanish  as  to  read  their  books  also. 
I  have  already  mentioned  that  I  had  only  one  year's 
instruction  in  a  Latin  school,  and  that  when  very  young, 
after   which    I    neglected    that   language   entirely.     But, 

lOwhen  I  had  attained  an  acquaintance  with  the  French, 
Italian,  and  Spanish,  I  was  surprised  to  find,  on  looking 
over  a  Latin  Testament,  that  I  understood  so  much  more 
of  that  language  than  I  had  imagined,  which  encouraged 
me  to  apply  myself  again  to  the  study  of  it,  and  I  met 

15with  more  success,  as  those  preceding  languages  had  greatly 
smoothed  my  way. 

From  these  circumstances,  I  have  thought  that  there 
is  some  inconsistency  in  our  common  mode  of  teaching 
languages.  We  are  told  that  it  is  proper  to  begin  first 

20with  the  Latin,  and,  having  acquired  that,  it  will  be  more 
easy  to  attain  those  modern  languages  which  are  derived 
from  it;  and  yet  we  do  not  begin  with  the  Greek,  in 
order  more  easily  to  acquire  the  Latin.  It  is  true  that, 
if  you  can  clamber  and  get  to  the  top  of  a  staircase  with- 

25out  using  the  steps,  you  will  more  easily  gain  them  in 
descending;  but  certainly,  if  you  begin  with  the  lowest 
you  will  with  more  ease  ascend  to  the  top;  and  I  would 
therefore  offer  it  to  the  consideration  of  those  who  super 
intend  the  education  of  our  youth,  whether,  since  many 

30of  those  who  begin  with  the  Latin  quit  the  same  after 
spending  some  years  without  having  made  any  great 
proficiency,  and  what  they  have  learnt  becomes  almost 
useless,  so  that  their  time  has  been  lost,  it  would  not 
have  been  better  to  have  begun  with  the  French,  proceed- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  109 

ing  to  the  Italian,  etc.;  for,  though,  after  spending  the 
same  time,  they  should  quit  the  study  of  languages 
and  never  arrive  at  the  Latin,  they  would,  however, 
have  acquired  another  tongue  or  two,  that,  being  in 
modern  use,  might  be  serviceable  to  them  in  common  5 
life. 

After  ten  years'  absence  from  Boston,  and  having  be 
come  easy  in  my  circumstances,  I  made  a  journey  thither 
to  visit  my  relations,  which  I  could  not  sooner  well 
afford.  In  returning,  I  called  at  Newport  to  see  my  10 
brother,  then  settled  there  with  his  printing-house.  Our 
former  differences  were  forgotten,  and  our  meeting  was 
very  cordial  and  affectionate.  He  was  fast  declining  in 
his  health,  and  requested  of  me  that,  in  case  of  his  death, 
which  he  apprehended  not  far  distant,  I  would  take  15 
home  his  son,  then  but  ten  years  of  age,  and  bring  him 
up  to  the  printing  business.  This  I  accordingly  per 
formed,  sending  him  a  few  years  to  school  before  I  took 
him  into  the  office.  His  mother  carried  on  the  business 
till  he  was  grown  up,  when  I  assisted  him  with  an  as- 20 
sortment  of  new  types,  those  of  his  father  being  in  a 
manner  worn  out.  Thus  it  was  that  I  made  my  brother 
ample  amends  for  the  service  I  had  deprived  him  of  by 
leaving  him  so  early. 

In  1736  I  lost  one  of  my  sons,  a  fine  boy  of  four  years 25 
old,  by  the  small-pox,  taken  in  the  common  way.     I  long 
regretted  bitterly,  and  still  regret  that  I  had  not  given  it 
to  him  by  inoculation.     This  I  mention  for  the  sake  of 
parents  who  omit  that  operation,  on  the  supposition  that 
they  should  never  forgive  themselves  if  a  child  died  underso 
it;   my    example   showing   that    the    regret   may   be   the 
same  either  way,  and  that,  therefore,  the  safer  should  be 
chosen. 

Our  club,  the  Junto,  was  found  so  useful,  and  afforded 


no  Franklin's  Autobiography 

such  satisfaction  to  the  members,  that  several  were  de 
sirous  of  introducing  their  friends,  which  could  not  well 
be  done  without  exceeding  what  we  had  settled  as  a 
convenient  number,  viz.,  twelve.  We  had  from  the  be- 
Sginning  made  it  a  rule  to  keep  our  institution  a  secret, 
which  was  pretty  well  observed;  the  intention  was  to 
avoid  applications  of  improper  persons  for  admittance, 
some  of  whom,  perhaps,  we  might  find  it  difficult  to  re 
fuse.  I  was  one  of  those  who  were  against  any  addition 

lOto  our  number,  but,  instead  of  it,  made  in  writing  a  pro 
posal,  that  every  member  separately  should  endeavor  to 
form  a  subordinate  club,  with  the  same  rules  respecting 
queries,  etc.,  and  without  informing  them  of  the  connection 
with  the  Junto.  The  advantages  proposed  were,  the 

15 improvement  of  so  many  more  young  citizens  by  the 
use  of  our  institutions;  our  better  acquaintance  with  the 
general  sentiments  of  the  inhabitants  on  any  occasion, 
as  the  Junto  member  might  propose  what  queries  we 
should  desire,  and  was  to  report  to  the  Junto  what 

20passed  in  his  separate  club;  the  promotion  of  our  par 
ticular  interests  in  business  by  more  extensive  recommen 
dation,  and  the  increase  of  our  influence  in  public  affairs, 
and  our  power  of  doing  good  by  spreading  through  the 
several  clubs  the  sentiments  of  the  Junto. 

25  The  project  was  approved,  and  every  member  under 
took  to  form  his  club,  but  they  did  not  all  succeed.  Five 
or  six  only  were  completed,  which  were  called  by  differ 
ent  names,  as  the  Vine,  the  Union,  the  Band,  etc.  They 
were  useful  to  themselves,  and  afforded  us  a  good  deal  of 

SOamusement,  information,  and  instruction,  besides  answer 
ing,  in  some  considerable  degree,  our  views  of  influencing 
the  public  opinion  on  particular  occasions,  of  which  I 
shall  give  some  instances  in  course  of  time  as  they  hap 
pened. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  in 

My  first  promotion  was  my  being  chosen,  in  1736, 
clerk  of  the  General  Assembly.  The  choice  was  made 
that  year  without  opposition ;  but  the  year  following, 
when  I  was  again  proposed  (the  choice,  like  that  of  the 
members,  being  annual),  a  new  member  made  a  long 5 
speech  against  me,  in  order  to  favor  some  other  candi 
date.  I  was,  however,  chosen,  which  was  the  more 
agreeable  to  me,  as,  besides  the  pay  for  the  immediate 
service  as  clerk,  the  place  gave  me  a  better  opportunity 
of  keeping  up  an  interest  among  the  members,  which  10 
secured  to  me  the  business  of  printing  the  votes,  laws,  paper 
money,  and  other  occasional  jobs  for  the  public,  that,  on 
the  whole,  were  very  profitable. 

I  therefore  did  not  like  the  opposition  of  this  new 
member,  who  was  a  gentleman  of  fortune  and  education,  15 
with  talents  that  were  likely  to  give  him,  in  time,  great 
influence  in  the  House,  which,  indeed,  afterwards  hap 
pened.  I  did  not,  however,  aim  at  gaining  his  favor  by 
paying  any  servile  respect  to  him,  but,  after  some  time, 
took  this  other  method.  Having  heard  that  he  had  in 20 
his  library  a  certain  very  scarce  and  curious  book,  I  wrote 
a  note  to  him,  expressing  my  desire  of  perusing  that  book, 
and  requesting  he  would  do  me  the  favor  of  lending  it  to 
me  for  a  few  days.  He  sent  it  immediately,  and  I  re 
turned  it  in  about  a  week  with  another  note,  expressing 2 5 
strongly  my  sense  of  the  favor.  When  we  next  met  in  the 
House,  he  spoke  to  me  (which  he  had  never  done  be 
fore),  and  with  great  civility;  and  he  ever  after  manifested 
a  readiness  to  serve  me  on  all  occasions,  so  that  we  be 
came  great  friends,  and  our  friendship  continued  to  hisSO 
death.  This  is  another  instance  of  the  truth  of  an  old 
maxim  I  had  learned,  which  says,  "  He  that  has  once  done 
you  a  kindness  will  be  more  ready  to  do  you  another,  than 
he  whom  you  yourself  have  obliged"  And  it  shows  how 


1 1 2  Franklin's  Autobiography 

much  more  profitable  it  is  prudently  to  remove,  than  to 
resent,  return,  and  continue  inimical  proceedings. 

In  1737,  Colonel  Spotswood,  late  governor  of  Virginia, 
and  then  postmaster-general,  being  dissatisfied  with  the 
5conduct  of  his  deputy  at  Philadelphia,  respecting  some 
negligence  in  rendering,  and  inexactitude  of  his  accounts, 
took  from  him  the  commission  and  offered  it  to  me.  I 
accepted  it  readily,  and  found  it  of  great  advantage;  for, 
though  the  salary  was  small,  it  facilitated  the  correspond- 

lOence  that  improved  my  newspaper,  increased  the  number 
demanded,  as  well  as  the  advertisements  to  be  inserted,  so 
that  it  came  to  afford  me  a  considerable  income.  My 
old  competitor's  newspaper  declined  proportionably,  and 
I  was  satisfied  without  retaliating  his  refusal,  while  post- 

15master,  to  permit  my  papers  being  carried  by  the  riders. 
Thus  he  suffered  greatly  from  his  neglect  in  due  account 
ing;  and  I  mention  it  as  a  lesson  to  those  young  men 
who  may  be  employed  in  managing  affairs  for  others,  that 
they  should  always  render  accounts,  and  make  remittances, 

20with  great  clearness  and  punctuality.  The  character  of 
observing  such  a  conduct  is  the  most  powerful  of  all  rec 
ommendations  to  new  employments  and  increase  of  busi 
ness. 

XI 
FRANKLIN'S  INTEREST  IN  PUBLIC  AFFAIRS 

I  BEGAN  now  to  turn  my  thoughts  a  little  to  public 
25affairs,  beginning,  however,  with  small  matters.  The  city 
watch  was  one  of  the  first  things  that  I  conceived  to  want 
regulation.  It  was  managed  by  the  constables  of  the 
respective  wards  in  turn ;  the  constable  warned  a  number 
of  housekeepers  to  attend  him  for  the  night.  Those  who 
chose  never  to  attend,  paid  him  six  shillings  a  year  to  be 


Franklin's  Autobiography  113 

excused,  which  was  supposed  to  be  for  hiring  substitutes, 
but  was,  in  reality,  much  more  than  was  necessary  for 
that  purpose,  and  made  the  constableship  a  place  of 
profit;  and  the  constable,  for  a  little  drink,  often  got 
such  ragamuffins  about  him  as  a  watch,  that  respect-5 
able  housekeepers  did  not  choose  to  mix  with.  Walk 
ing  the  rounds,  too,  was  often  neglected,  and  most  of  the 
nights  spent  in  tippling.  I  thereupon  wrote  a  paper  to 
be  read  in  Junto,  representing  these  irregularities,  but 
insisting  more  particularly  on  the  inequality  of  this  six- 10 
shilling  tax  of  the  constables,  respecting  the  circum 
stances  of  those  who  paid  it,  since  a  poor  widow  house 
keeper,  all  whose  property  to  be  guarded  by  the  watch 
did  not  perhaps  exceed  the  value  of  fifty  pounds,  paid  as 
much  as  the  wealthiest  merchant,  who  had  thousands  of  15 
pounds'  worth  of  goods  in  his  stores. 

On  the  whole,  I  proposed  as  a  more  effectual  watch, 
the  hiring  of  proper  men  to  serve  constantly  in  that  busi 
ness;  and  as  a  more  equitable  way  of  supporting  the 
charge,  the  levying  a  tax  that  should  be  proportioned  to  the20 
property.  This  idea,  being  approved  by  the  Junto,  was 
communicated  to  the  other  clubs,  but  as  arising  in  each 
of  them ;  and  though  the  plan  was  not  immediately  carried 
into  execution,  yet,  by  preparing  the  minds  of  people  for 
the  change,  it  paved  the  way  for  the  law  obtained  a  few 2 5 
years  after,  when  the  members  of  our  clubs  were  grown 
into  more  influence. 

About  this  time  I  wrote  a  paper  (first  to  be  read 
in  Junto,  but  it  was  afterward  published)  on  the  different 
accidents  and  carelessnesses  by  which  houses  were  set  on 30 
fire,  with  cautions  against  then,  and  means  proposed  of 
avoiding  them.  This  was  much  spoken  of  as  a  useful 
piece,  and  gave  rise  to  a  project,  which  soon  followed  it, 
of  forming  a  company  for  the  more  ready  extinguishing  of 


114  Franklin's  Autobiography 

fires,  and  mutual  assistance  in  removing  and  securing  of 
goods  when  in  danger.  Associates  in  this  scheme  were 
presently  found,  amounting  to  thirty.  Our  articles  of 
agreement  obliged  every  member  to  keep  always  in  good 
Border,  and  fit  for  use,  a  certain  number  of  leather  buckets, 
with  strong  bags  and  baskets  (for  packing  and  transport 
ing  of  goods),  which  were  to  be  brought  to  every  fire;] 
and  wre  agreed  to  meet  once  a  month  and  spend  a  social 
evening  together,  in  discoursing  and  communicating  such 

lOideas  as  occurred  to  us  upon  the  subjects  of  fires,  as  might 
be  useful  in  our  conduct  on  such  occasions. 

The  utility  of  this  institution  soon  appeared,  and  many 
more  desiring  to  be  admitted  than  we  thought  convenient 
for  one  company,  they  were  advised  to  form  another, 

ISwhich  was  accordingly  done;  and  this  went  on,  one  new 
company  being  formed  after  another,  till  they  became  so 
numerous  as  to  include  most  of  the  inhabitants  who  were 
men  of  property;  and  now,  at  the  time  of  my  writing 
this,  though  upward  of  fifty  years  since  its  establishment, 

20that  which  I  first  formed,  called  the  Union  Fire  Com 
pany,  still  subsists  and  flourishes,  though  the  first  members 
are  all  deceased  but  myself  and  one,  who  is  older  by  a  year 
than  I  am.  The  small  fines  that  have  been  paid  by  mem 
bers  for  absence  at  the  monthly  meetings  have  been  applied 

25to  the  purchase  of  fire-engines,  ladders,  fire-hooks,  and 
other  useful  implements  for  each  company,  so  that  I  ques 
tion  whether  there  is  a  city  in  the  world  better  provided 
with  the  means  of  putting  a  stop  to  beginning  conflagra 
tions;  and,  in  fact,  since  these  institutions,  the  city  has 

SOnever  lost  by  fire  more  than  one  or  two  houses  at  a  time, 
and  the  flames  have  often  been  extinguished  before  the 
house  in  which  they  began  has  been  half  consumed. 

In  1739  arrived  among  us  from  Ireland  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Whitefield,  who  had  made  himself  remarkable  there 


Franklin's  Autobiography  115 

as  an  itinerant  preacher.  He  was  at  first  permitted  to 
preach  in  some  of  our  churches;  but  the  clergy,  taking  a 
dislike  to  him,  soon  refused  him  their  pulpits,  and  he 
was  obliged  to  preach  in  the  fields.  The  multitudes  of  all 
sects  and  denominations  that  attended  his  sermons  were5 
enormous,  and  it  was  matter  of  speculation  to  me,  who 
was  one  of  the  number,  to  observe  the  extraordinary  in 
fluence  of  his  oratory  on  his  hearers,  and  how  much  they 
admired  and  respected  him,  notwithstanding  his  common 
abuse  of  them,  by  assuring  them  they  were  naturally  10 
half  beasts  and  half  devils.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the 
change  soon  made  in  the  manners  of  our  inhabitants. 
From  being  thoughtless  or  indifferent  about  religion,  it 
seemed  as  if  all  the  world  were  growing  religious,  so  that 
one  could  not  walk  through  the  town  in  an  evening  with-15 
out  hearing  psalms  sung  in  different  families  of  every 
street. 

And  it  being  found  inconvenient  to  assemble  in  the 
open  air,  subject  to  its  inclemencies,  the  building  of  a  house 
to  meet  in  was  no  sooner  proposed,  and  persons  ap-20 
pointed  to  receive  contributions,  but  sufficient  sums  were 
soon  received  to  procure  the  ground  and  erect  the  build 
ing,  which  was  one  hundred  feet  long  and  seventy  broad, 
about  the  size  of  Westminster  Hall;  and  the  work  was 
carried  on  with  such  spirit  as  to  be  finished  in  a  much 25 
shorter  time  than  could  have  been  expected.  Both  house 
and  ground  were  vested  in  trustees,  expressly  for  the  use 
of  any  preacher  of  any  religious  persuasion  who  might 
desire  to  say  something  to  the  people  at  Philadelphia; 
the  design  in  building  not  being  to  accommodate  any30 
particular  sect,  but  the  inhabitants  in  general;  so  that 
even  if  the  Mufti  of  Constantinople  were  to  send  a  mis 
sionary  to  preach  Mohammedanism  to  us,  he  would  find 
a  pulpit  at  his  service. 


Ii6  Franklin's  Autobiography 

Mr.  Whitefield,  in  leaving  us,  went  preaching  all  the 
way  through  the  colonies  to  Georgia.  The  settlement 
of  that  province  had  lately  been  begun,  but,  instead  of 
being  made  with  hardy,  industrious  husbandmen,  accus- 
5tomed  to  labor,  the  only  people  fit  for  such  an  enterprise, 
it  was  with  families  of  broken  shop-keepers  and  other  in 
solvent  debtors,  many  of  indolent  and  idle  habits,  taken 
out  of  the  jails,  who,  being  set  down  in  the  woods,  unquali 
fied  for  clearing  land,  and  unable  to  endure  the  hardships 

lOof  a  new  settlement,  perished  in  numbers,  leaving  many 
helpless  children  unprovided  for.  The  sight  of  their 
miserable  situation  inspired  the  benevolent  heart  of  Mr. 
Whitefield  with  the  idea  of  building  an  Orphan  House 
there,  in  which  they  might  be  supported  and  educated. 

IBReturning  northward,  he  preached  up  this  charity,  and 
made  large  collections,  for  his  eloquence  had  a  wonderful 
power  over  the  hearts  and  purses  of  his  hearers,  of  which 
I  myself  was  an  instance. 

I   did   not  disapprove  of  the  design,  but,  as  Georgia 

20was  then  destitute  of  materials  and  workmen,  and  it  was 
proposed  to  send  them  from  Philadelphia  at  a  great  ex 
pense,  I  thought  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  built 
the  house  here,  and  brought  the  children  to  it.  This  I 
advised;  but  he  was  resolute  in  his  first  project,  rejected 

25my  counsel,  and  I  therefore  refused  to  contribute.  I  hap 
pened  soon  after  to  attend  one  of  his  sermons,  in  the  course 
of  which  I  perceived  he  intended  to  finish  with  a  collection, 
and  I  silently  resolved  he  should  get  nothing  from  me. 
I  had  in  my  pocket  a  handful  of  copper  money,  three  or 

SOfour  silver  dollars,  and  five  pistoles  in  gold.  As  he  pro 
ceeded  I  began  to  soften,  and  concluded  to  give  the  cop 
pers.  Another  stroke  of  his  oratory  made  me  ashamed  of 
that,  and  determined  me  to  give  the  silver;  and  he 
finished  so  admirably,  that  I  emptied  my  pocket  wholly 


Franklin's  Autobiography  117 

into  the  collector's  dish,  gold  and  all.  At  this  sermon 
there  was  also  one  of  our  club,  who,  being  of  my  senti 
ments  respecting  the  building  in  Georgia,  and  suspecting 
a  collection  might  be  intended,  had,  by  precaution,  emp 
tied  his  pockets  before  he  came  from  home.  Towards  the  5 
conclusion  of  the  discourse,  however,  he  felt  a  strong 
desire  to  give,  and  applied  to  a  neighbor  who  stood 
near  him,  to  borrow  some  money  for  the  purpose.  The 
application  was  unfortunately  [made]  to  perhaps  the 
only  man  in  the  company  who  had  the  firmness  not  tolO 
be  affected  by  the  preacher.  His  answer  was,  "At  any 
other  time,  Friend  Hopkinson,  I  would  lend  to  thee  freely; 
but  not  now,  for  thee  seems  to  be  out  of  thy  right  senses." 

Some  of  Mr.  Whitefield's  enemies  affected  to  suppose 
that  he  would  apply  these  collections  to  his  own  private  15 
emolument;  but  I,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with 
him  (being  employed  in  printing  his  Sermons  and  Jour 
nals,  etc.),  never  had  the  least  suspicion  of  his  integrity, 
but  am  to  this  day  decidedly  of  opinion  that  he  was  in  all 
his  conduct  a  perfectly  honest   man;  and   methinks   my20 
testimony  in  his  favor  ought  to  have  the  more  weight,  as 
we  had  no  religious  connection.     He  used,  indeed,  some 
times  to  pray  for  my  conversion,  but  never  had  the  satis 
faction  of  believing  that  his  prayers  were  heard.     Ours 
was  a  mere  civil  friendship,  sincere  on  both  sides,  and  2  5 
lasted   to   his   death. 

The  following  instance  will  show  something  of  the 
terms  on  which  we  stood.  Upon  one  of  his  arrivals  from 
England  at  Boston,  he  wrote  to  me  that  he  should  come 
soon  to  Philadelphia,  but  knew  not  where  he  could  lodgeso 
when  there,  as  he  understood  his  old  friend  and  host,  Mr. 
Benezet,  was  removed  to  Germantown.  My  answer  was, 
"  You  know  my  house ;  if  you  can  make  shift  with  its 
scanty  accommodations,  you  will  be  most  heartily  wel- 


n8  Franklin's  Autobiography 

come."  He  replied,  that  if  I  made  that  kind  offer  for 
Christ's  sake,  I  should  not  miss  of  a  reward.  And  I  re 
turned,  "  Dont  let  me  be  mistaken;  it  was  not  for  Christ's 
sake,  but  for  your  sake."  One  of  our  common  acquaint- 
5ance  jocosely  remarked,  that,  knowing  it  to  be  the 
custom  of  the  saints,  when  they  received  any  favor,  to 
shift  the  burden  of  the  obligation  from  off  their  own 
shoulders,  and  place  it  in  heaven,  I  had  contrived  to  fix  it 
on  earth. 

10  The  last  time  I  saw  Mr.  Whitefield  was  in  London, 
when  he  consulted  me  about  his  Orphan  House  concern, 
and  his  purpose  of  appropriating  it  to  the  establishment 
of  a  college. 

He  had  a  loud  and  clear  voice,  and  articulated  his  words 

15and  sentences  so  perfectly,  that  he  might  be  heard  and 
understood  at  a  great  distance,  especially  as  his  audi 
tories,  however  numerous,  observed  the  most  exact  silence. 
He  preached  one  evening  from  the  top  of  the  Court 
house  steps,  which  are  in  the  middle  of  Market  Street, 

20and  on  the  west  side  of  Second  Street,  which  crosses  it  at 
right  angles.  Both  streets  were  filled  with  his  hearers  to  a 
considerable  distance.  Being  among  the  hindmost  in  Mar 
ket  Street,  I  had  the  curiosity  to  learn  how  far  he  could 
be  heard,,  by  retiring  backwards  down  the  street  towards 

25the  river;  and  I  found  his  voice  distinct  till  I  came  near 
Front  Street,  when  some  noise  in  that  street  obscured 
it.  Imagining  then  a  semicircle,  of  which  my  distance 
should  be  the  radius,  and  that  it  were  filled  with  audi 
tors,  to  each  of  whom  I  allowed  two  square  feet,  I  com- 

SOputed  that  he  might  well  be  heard  by  more  than  thirty 
thousand.  This  reconciled  me  to  the  newspaper  accounts 
of  his  having  preached  to  twenty-five  thousand  people  in 
the  fields,  and  to  the  ancient  histories  of  generals  harangu 
ing  whole  armies,  of  which  I  had  sometimes  doubted. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  119 

By  hearing  him  often,  I  came  to  distinguish  easily  be 
tween  sermons  newly  composed,  and  those  which  he  had 
often  preached  in  the  course  of  his  travels.  His  delivery 
of  the  latter  was  so  improved  by  frequent  repetitions  that 
every  accent,  every  emphasis,  every  modulation  of  voice, 5 
was  so  perfectly  well  turned  and  well  placed,  that,  without 
being  interested  in  the  subject,  one  could  not  help  being 
pleased  with  the  discourse;  a  pleasure  of  much  the  same 
kind  with  that  received  from  an  excellent  piece  of  music. 
This  is  an  advantage  itinerant  preachers  have  over  thoselO 
who  are  stationary,  as  the  latter  cannot  well  improve 
their  delivery  of  a  sermon  by  so  many  rehearsals. 

His  writing  and  printing  from  time  to  time  gave  great 
advantage  to  his  enemies ;  unguarded  expressions,  and  even 
erroneous  opinions,  delivered  in  preaching,  might  havelS 
been  afterwards  explained  or  qualified  by  supposing  others 
that  might  have  accompanied  them,  or  they  might  have 
been  denied;  but  lit  era  scripta  manet*  Critics  attacked 
his  writings  violently,  and  with  so  much  appearance  of 
reason  as  to  diminish  the  number  of  his  votaries  and  20 
prevent  their  increase;  so  that  I  am  of  opinion  if  he  had 
never  written  anything,  he  would  have  left  behind  him  a 
much  more  numerous  and  important  sect,  and  his  reputa 
tion  might  in  that  case  have  been  still  growing,  even 
after  his  death,  as  there  being  nothing  of  his  writing  on 25 
which  to  found  a  censure  and  give  him  a  lower  character, 
his  proselytes  would  be  left  at  liberty  to  feign  for  him  as 
great  a  variety  of  excellences  as  their  enthusiastic  admira 
tion  might  wish  him  to  have  possessed. 

My  business  was  now  continually  augmenting,  and  my30 
circumstances  growing  daily  easier,  my  newspaper  having 
become  very  profitable,  as  being  for  a  time  almost  the 
only  one  in  this  and  the  neighboring  provinces.     I  ex 
perienced,  too,  the  truth  of  the  observation,  "  that  after 


I2O  Franklin's  Autobiography 

getting  the  first  hundred  pound,  it  is  more  easy  to  get  the 
second''  money  itself  being  of  a  prolific  nature. 

The  partnership  at  Carolina  having  succeeded,  I  was 
encouraged  to  engage  in  others,  and  to  promote  several 
5of  my  workmen,  who  had  behaved  well,  by  establishing 
them  with  printing-houses  in  different  colonies,  on  the 
same  terms  with  that  in  Carolina.  Most  of  them  did  well, 
being  enabled  at  the  end  of  our  term,  six  years,  to  pur 
chase  the  types  of  me  and  go  on  working  for  themselves, 

loby  which  means  several  families  were  raised.  Partner 
ships  often  finish  in  quarrels;  but  I  was  happy  in  this, 
that  mine  were  all  carried  on  and  ended  amicably,  owing, 
I  think,  a  good  deal  to  the  precaution  of  having  very 
explicitly  settled,  in  our  articles,  everything  to  be  done  by 

15or  expected  from  each  partner,  so  that  there  was  nothing 
to  dispute,  which  precaution  I  would  therefore  recom 
mend  to  all  who  enter  into  partnerships;  for,  whatever 
esteem  partners  may  have  for,  and  confidence  in  each 
other  at  the  time  of  the  contract,  little  jealousies  and 

20<iisgusts  may  arise,  with  ideas  of  inequality  in  the  care  and 
burden  of  the  business,  etc.,  which  are  attended  often 
with  breach  of  friendship  and  of  the  connection,  perhaps 
with  lawsuits  and  other  disagreeable  consequences. 


XII 
DEFENSE  OF  THE  PROVINCE 

I  HAD,  on  the  whole,  abundant  reason  to  be  satisfied 
25with  my  being  established  in  Pennsylvania.  There  were, 
however,  two  things  that  I  regretted,  there  being  no  pro 
vision  for  defense,  nor  for  a  complete  education  of  youth ; 
no  militia,  nor  any  college.  I  therefore,  in  1743,  drew 
up  a  proposal  for  establishing  an  academy;  and  at  that 


Franklin's  Autobiography  121 

time,  thinking  the  Reverend  Mr.  Peters,  who  was  out  of 
employ,  a  fit  person  to  superintend  such  an  institution,  I 
communicated  the  project  to  him;  but  he,  having  more 
profitable  views  in  the  service  of  the  proprietaries,  which 
succeeded,  declined  the  undertaking;  and,  not  knowing5 
another  at  that  time  suitable  for  such  a  trust,  I  let  the 
scheme  lie  awhile  dormant.  I  succeeded  better  the  next 
year,  1744,  in  proposing  and  establishing  a  Philosophical 
Society.  The  paper  I  wrote  for  that  purpose  will  be 
found  among  my  writings,  when  collected.  10 

With  respect  to  defense,  Spain  having  been  several 
years  at  war  against  Great  Britain,  and  being  at  length 
joined  by  France,  which  brought  us  into  great  danger; 
and  the  labored  and  long-continued  endeavor  of  our 
governor,  Thomas,  to  prevail  with  our  Quaker  Assembly  15 
to  pass  a  militia  law,  and  make  other  provisions  for  the 
security  of  the  province,  having  proved  abortive,  I  de 
termined  to  try  what  might  be  done  by  a  voluntary  as 
sociation  of  the  people.  To  promote  this,  I  first  wrote 
and  published  a  pamphlet,  entitled  PLAIN  TRUTH,  in 20 
which  I  stated  our  defenseless  situation  in  strong  lights, 
with  the  necessity  of  union  and  discipline  for  our  defense, 
and  promised  to  propose  in  a  few  days  an  association,  to 
be  generally  signed  for  that  purpose.  The  pamphlet  had 
a  sudden  and  surprising  effect.  I  was  called  upon  for  2  5 
the  instrument  of  association,  and  having  settled  the  draft 
of  it  with  a  few  friends,  I  appointed  a  meeting  of  the  citi 
zens  in  the  large  building  before  mentioned.  The  house 
was  pretty  full;  I  had  prepared  a  number  of  printed 
copies,  and  provided  pens  and  ink  dispersed  all  over  the 30 
room.  I  harangued  them  a  little  on  the  subject,  read  the 
paper,  and  explained  it,  and  then  distributed  the  copies, 
which  were  eagerly  signed,  not  the  least  objection  being 
made. 


122  Franklin's  Autobiography 

When  the  company  separated,  and  the  papers  were 
collected,  we  found  above  twelve  hundred  hands;  and, 
other  copies  being  dispersed  in  the  country,  the  sub 
scribers  amounted  at  length  to  upward  of  ten  thousand. 
5These  all  furnished  themselves  as  soon  as  they  could  with 
arms,  formed  themselves  into  companies  and  regiments, 
chose  their  own  officers,  and  met  every  week  to  be  in 
structed  in  the  manual  exercise,  and  other  parts  of  mili 
tary  discipline.  The  women,  by  subscriptions  among 

10 themselves,  provided  silk  colors,  which  they  presented 
to  the  companies,  painted  with  different  devices  and 
mottoes,  which  I  supplied. 

The  officers  of  the  companies  composing  the  Philadel 
phia  regiment,  being  met,  chose  me  for  their  colonel; 

15but,  conceiving  myself  unfit,  I  declined  that  station,  and 
recommended  Mr.  Lawrence,  a  fine  person,  and  man  of 
influence,  who  was  accordingly  appointed.  I  then  pro 
posed  a  lottery  to  defray  the  expense  of  building  a  battery 
below  the  town,  and  furnishing  it  with  cannon.  It  filled 

20expeditiously,  and  the  battery  was  soon  erected,  the  mer 
lons  being  framed  of  logs  and  filled  with  earth.  We 
bought  some  old  cannon  from  Boston,  but  these  not 
being  sufficient,  we  wrote  to  England  for  more,  solicit 
ing,  at  the  same  time,  our  proprietaries  for  some  assist- 

25ance,  though  without  much  expectation  of  obtaining  it. 

Meanwhile,  Colonel  Lawrence,  William  Allen,  Abram 
Taylor,  Esqr.,  and  myself  were  sent  to  New  York  by  the 
associators,  commissioned  to  borrow  some  cannon  of  Gov 
ernor  Clinton.  He  at  first  refused  us  peremptorily; 

30but  at  dinner  with  his  council,  where  there  was  great 
drinking  of  Madeira  wine,  as  the  custom  of  that  place 
then  was,  he  softened  by  degrees,  and  said  he  would  lend 
us  six.  After  a  few  more  bumpers  he  advanced  to  ten; 
and  at  length  he  very  good-naturedly  conceded  eighteen. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  123 

They  were  fine  cannon,  eighteen-pounders,  with  their 
carriages,  which  we  soon  transported  and  mounted  on 
our  battery,  where  the  associators  kept  a  nightly  guard 
while  the  war  lasted,  and  among  the  rest  I  regularly  took 
my  turn  of  duty  there  as  a  common  soldier.  5 

My  activity  in  these  operations  was  agreeable  to  the 
governor  and  council ;  they  took  me  into  confidence,  and 
I  was  consulted  by  them  in  every  measure  wherein  their 
concurrence  was  thought  useful  to  the  association.  Call 
ing  in  the  aid  of  religion,  I  proposed  to  them  the  pro-10 
claiming  a  fast,  to  promote  reformation,  and  implore  the 
blessing  of  Heaven  on  our  undertaking.  They  embraced 
the  motion;  but,  as  it  was  the  first  fast  ever  thought  of 
in  the  province,  the  secretary  had  no  precedent  from 
which  to  draw  the  proclamation.  My  education  in  Newl5 
England,  where  a  fast  is  proclaimed  every  year,  was  here 
of  some  advantage;  I  drew  it  in  the  accustomed  style,  it 
was  translated  into  German,  printed  in  both  languages, 
and  divulged  through  the  province.  This  gave  the  clergy 
of  the  different  sects  an  opportunity  of  influencing  their20 
congregations  to  join  in  the  association,  and  it  would 
probably  have  been  general  among  all  but  Quakers  if 
the  peace  had  not  soon  intervened. 

It  was  thought  by  some  of  my  friends  that,  by  my 
activity  in  these  affairs,  I  should  offend  that  sect,  and 25 
thereby  lose  my  interest  in  the  Assembly  of  the  province, 
where  they  formed  a  great  majority.  A  young  gentleman 
who  had  likewise  some  friends  in  the  House,  and  wished 
to  succeed  me  as  their  clerk,  acquainted  me  that  it  was 
decided  to  displace  me  at  the  next  election;  and  he, 30 
therefore,  in  good  will,  advised  me  to  resign,  as  more 
consistent  with  my  honor  than  being  turned  out.  My 
answer  to  him  was,  that  I  had  read  or  heard  of  some 
public  man  who  made  it  a  rule  never  to  ask  for  an  office, 


124  Franklin's  Autobiography 

and  never  to  refuse  one  when  offered  to  him.  "  I  ap 
prove,"  says  I,  "  of  his  rule,  and  will  practise  it  with  a 
small  addition;  I  shall  never  ask,  never  refuse,  nor  ever 
resign  an  office.  If  they  will  have  my  office  of  clerk  to 
5dispose  of  to  another,  they  shall  take  it  from  me.  I  will 
not,  by  giving  it  up,  lose  my  right  of  some  time  or  other 
making  reprisals  on  my  adversaries."  I  heard,  however, 
no  more  of  this;  I  was  chosen  again  unanimously  as 
usual  at  the  next  election.  Possibly,  as  they  disliked  my 

lOlate  intimacy  with  the  members  of  council,  who  had  joined 
the  governors  in  all  the  disputes  about  military  prepara 
tions,  with  which  the  House  had  long  been  harassed,  they 
might  have  been  pleased  if  I  would  voluntarily  have  left 
them;  but  they  did  not  care  to  displace  me  on  account 

ISmerely  of  my  zeal  for  the  association,  and  they  could  not 
well  give  another  reason. 

Indeed  I  had  some  cause  to  believe  that  the  defense  of 
the  country  was  not  disagreeable  to  any  of  them,  provided 
they  were  not  required  to  assist  in  it.  And  I  found  that 

20a  much  greater  number  of  them  than  I  could  have  im 
agined,  though  against  offensive  war,  were  clearly  for  the 
defensive.  Many  pamphlets  pro  and  con  were  published 
on  the  subject,  and  some  by  good  Quakers,  in  favor  of 
defense,  which  I  believe  convinced  most  of  their  younger 

25people. 

A  transaction  in  our  fire  company  gave  me  some  in 
sight  into  their  prevailing  sentiments.  It  had  been  pro 
posed  that  we  should  encourage  the  scheme  for  building 
a  battery  by  laying  out  the  present  stock,  then  about  sixty 

SOpounds,  in  tickets  of  the  lottery.  By  our  rules,  no  money 
could  be  disposed  of  till  the  next  meeting  after  the  pro 
posal.  The  company  consisted  of  thirty  members,  of 
which  twenty-two  were  Quakers,  and  eight  only  of  other 
persuasions.  We  eight  punctually  attended  the  meeting; 


Franklin's  Autobiography  125 

but,  though  we  thought  that  some  of  the  Quakers  would 
join  us,  we  were  by  no  means  sure  of  a  majority.  Only 
one  Quaker,  Mr.  James  Morris,  appeared  to  oppose  the 
measure.  He  expressed  much  sorrow  that  it  had  ever 
been  proposed,  as  he  said  Friends  were  all  against  it,  and 5 
it  would  create  such  discord  as  might  break  up  the  com 
pany.  We  told  him  that  we  saw  no  reason  for  that;  we 
were  the  minority,  and  if  Friends  were  against  the  meas 
ure,  and  outvoted  us,  we  must  and  should,  agreeably  to 
the  usage  of  all  societies,  submit.  When  the  hour  for  10 
business  arrived  it  was  moved  to  put  the  vote ;  he  allowed 
we  might  then  do  it  by  the  rules,  but,  as  he  could  assure 
us  that  a  number  of  members  intended  to  be  present  for 
the  purpose  of  opposing  it,  it  would  be  but  candid  to 
allow  a  little  time  for  their  appearing.  15 

While  we  were  disputing  this,  a  waiter  came  to  tell  me 
two  gentlemen  below  desired  to  speak  with  me.  I  went 
down,  and  found  they  were  two  of  our  Quaker  members. 
They  told  me  there  were  eight  of  them  assembled  at  a 
tavern  just  by;  that  they  were  determined  to  come  and 20 
vote  with  us  if  there  should  be  occasion,  which  they  hoped 
would  not  be  the  case,  and  desired  we  would  not  call  for 
their  assistance  if  we  could  do  without  it,  as  their  voting 
for  such  a  measure  might  embroil  them  with  their  elders 
and  friends.  Being  thus  secure  of  a  majority,  I  went  up, 25 
and  after  a  little  seeming  hesitation,  agreed  to  a  delay  of 
another  hour.  This  Mr.  Morris  allowed  to  be  extremely 
fair.  Not  one  of  his  opposing  friends  appeared,  at  which 
he  expressed  great  surprise;  and,  at  the  expiration  of  the 
hour,  we  carried  the  resolution  eight  to  one;  and  as,  of 30 
the  twenty-two  Quakers,  eight  were  ready  to  vote  with  us, 
and  thirteen,  by  their  absence,  manifested  that  they  were 
not  inclined  to  oppose  the  measure,  I  afterward  estimated 
the  proportion  of  Quakers  sincerely  against  defense  as 


126  Franklin's  Autobiography 

one  to  twenty-one  only;  for  these  were  all  regular  mem 
bers  of  that  society,  and  in  good  reputation  among  them, 
and  had  due  notice  of  what  was  proposed  at  that  meeting. 
The  honorable  and  learned  Mr.  Logan,  who  had  always 
Sbeen  of  that  sect,  was  one  who  wrote  an  address  to  them, 
declaring  his  approbation  of  defensive  war,  and  support 
ing   his   opinion    by   many   strong    arguments.     He   put 
into  my  hands  sixty  pounds  to   be  laid   out  in   lottery 
tickets   for   the   battery,   with   directions   to   apply   what 

lOprizes  might  be  drawn  wholly  to  that  service.  He  told 
me  the  following  anecdote  of  his  old  master,  William 
Penn,  respecting  defense.  He  came  over  from  England, 
when  a  young  man,  with  that  proprietary,  and  as  his 
secretary.  It  was  war-time,  and  their  ship  was  chased  by 

15an  armed  vessel,  supposed  to  be  an  enemy.  Their  cap 
tain  prepared  for  defense;  but  told  William  Penn,  and 
his  company  of  Quakers,  that  he  did  not  expect  their 
assistance,  and  they  might  retire  into  the  cabin,  which 
they  did,  except  James  Logan,  who  chose  to  stay  upon 

2()deck,  and  was  quartered  to  a  gun.  The  supposed  enemy 
proved  a  friend,  so  there  was  no  fighting;  but  when  the 
secretary  went  down  to  communicate  the  intelligence, 
William  Penn  rebuked  him  severely  for  staying  upon 
deck,  and  undertaking  to  assist  in  defending  the  vessel, 

25contrary  to  the  principles  of  Friends,  especially  as  it  had 
not  been  required  by  the  captain.  This  reproof,  being 
before  all  the  company,  piqued  the  secretary,  who  an 
swered,  "  I  being  thy  servant,  why  did  thee  not  order  me  to 
come  down?  But  thee  was  willing  enough  that  I  should 

SQStay  and  help  to  fight  the  ship  when  thee  thought  there  was 
danger.39 

My  being  many  years  in  the  Assembly,  the  majority 
of  which  were  constantly  Quakers,  gave  me  frequent 
opportunities  of  seeing  the  embarrassment  given  them 


Franklin's  Autobiography  127 

by  their  principle  against  war,  whenever  application  was 
made  to  them,  by  order  of  the  crown,  to  grant  aids  for 
military  purposes.  They  were  unwilling  to  offend  gov 
ernment,  on  the  one  hand,  by  a  direct  refusal;  and  their 
friends,  the  body  of  the  Quakers,  on  the  other,  by  a5 
compliance  contrary  to  their  principles;  hence  a  variety 
of  evasions  to  avoid  complying,  and  modes  of  disguising 
the  compliance  when  it  became  unavoidable.  The  com 
mon  mode  at  last  was,  to  grant  money  under  the  phrase  of 
its  being  "  for  the  king's  use"  and  never  to  inquire  howlO 
it  was  applied. 

But,  if  the  demand  was  not  directly  from  the  crown, 
that  phrase  was  found  not  so  proper,  and  some  other  was 
to  be  invented.  As,  when  powder  was  wanting  (I  think 
it  was  for  the  garrison  at  Louisburg),  and  the  government  15 
of  New  England  solicited  a  grant  of  some  from  Penn 
sylvania,  which  was  much  urged  on  the  House  by  Gov 
ernor  Thomas,  they  could  not  grant  money  to  buy  pow 
der,  because  that  was  an  ingredient  of  war ;  but  they  voted 
an  aid  to  New  England  of  three  thousand  pounds,  to  be20 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  governor,  and  appropriated  it 
for  the  purchasing  of  bread,  flour,  wheat  or  other  grain. 
Some  of  the  council,  desirous  of  giving  the  House  still 
further  embarrassment,  advised  the  governor  not  to  accept 
provision,  as  not  being  the  thing  he  had  demanded;  but25 
he  replied,  "  I  shall  take  the  money,  for  I  understand 
very  well  their  meaning;  other  grain  is  gunpowder," 
which  he  accordingly  bought,  and  they  never  objected 
to  it. 

It  was  in  allusion  to  this  fact  that,  when  in  our  fire  30 
company  we  feared  the  success  of  our  proposal  in  favor 
of  the  lottery,  and  I  had  said  to  my  friend  Mr.  Syng,  one 
of  our  members,  "  If  we  fail,  let  us  move  the  purchase  of 
a  fire-engine  with  the  money;  the  Quakers  can  have  no 


128  Franklin's  Autobiography 

objection  to  that;  and  then,  if  you  nominate  me  and  I 
you  as  a  committee  for  that  purpose,  we  will  buy  a  great 
gun,  which  is  certainly  a  fire-engine'*  "  I  see,"  says  he, 
"you  have  improved  by  being  so  long  in  the  Assembly; 
5  your  equivocal  project  would  be  just  a  match  for  their 
wheat  or  other  grain/' 

These  embarrassments  that  the  Quakers  suffered  from 
having  established  and  published  it  as  one  of  their  princi 
ples  that  no  kind  of  war  was  lawful,  and  which,  being 

lOonce  published,  they  could  not  afterwards,  however  they 
might  change  their  minds,  easily  get  rid  of,  reminds  me 
of  what  I  think  a  more  prudent  conduct  in  another  sect 
among  us,  that  of  the  Dunkers.  I  was  acquainted  with 
one  of  its  founders,  Michael  Welfare,  soon  after  it  ap- 

1  Speared.  He  complained  to  me  that  they  were  grievously 
calumniated  by  the  zealots  of  other  persuasions,  and 
charged  with  abominable  principles  and  practices  to  which 
they  were  utter  strangers.  I  told  him  this  had  always 
been  the  case  with  new  sects,  and  that,  to  put  a  stop  to 

20such  abuse,  I  imagined  it  might  be  well  to  publish 
the  articles  of  their  belief,  and  the  rules  of  their  dis 
cipline.  He  said  that  it  had  been  proposed  among  them, 
but  not  agreed  to,  for  this  reason :  "  When  we  were  first 
drawn  together  as  a  society,"  says  he,  "  it  had  pleased 

25 God  to  enlighten  our  minds  so  far  as  to  see  that  some 
doctrines,  which  we  once  esteemed  truths  were  errors; 
and  that  others,  which  we  had  esteemed  errors,  were  real 
truths.  From  time  to  time  He  has  been  pleased  to  afford 
us  farther  light,  and  our  principles  have  been  improving, 

SOand  our  errors  diminishing.  Now  we  are  not  sure  that  we 
are  arrived  at  the  end  of  this  progression,  and  at  the  per 
fection  of  spiritual  or  theological  knowledge;  and  we  fear 
that,  if  we  should  once  print  our  confession  of  faith,  we 
should  feel  ourselves  as  if  bound  and  confined  by  it,  and 


Franklin's  Autobiography  129 

perhaps  be  unwilling  to  receive  farther  improvement,  and 
our  successors  still  more  so,  as  conceiving  what  we  their 
elders  and  founders  had  done,  to  be  something  sacred, 
never  to  be  departed  from." 

This  modesty  in  a  sect  is  perhaps  a  singular  instance  in  5 
the  history  of  mankind,  every  other  sect  supposing  itself 
in  possession  of  all  truth,  and  that  those  who  differ  are  so 
far  in  the  wrong;  like  a  man  traveling  in  foggy  weather, 
those  at  some  distance  before  him  on  the  road  he  sees 
wrapped  up  in  the  fog,  as  well  as  those  behind  him,  and  10 
also  the  people  in  the  fields  on  each  side,  but  near  him  all 
appears  clear,  though  in  truth  he  is  as  much  in  the  fog  as 
any  of  them.     To  avoid  this  kind  of  embarrassment,  the 
Quakers  have  of  late  years  been  gradually  declining  the 
public   service  in   the  Assembly  and   in   the   magistracy,  15 
choosing  rather  to  quit  their  power  than  their  principle. 

In  order  of  time,  I  should  have  mentioned  before,  that 
having,  in  1742,  invented  an  open  stove  for  the  better 
warming  of  rooms,  and  at  the  same  time  saving  fuel,  as 
the  fresh  air  admitted  was  warmed  in  entering,  I  made  a20 
present  of  the  model  to  Mr.  Robert  Grace,  one  of  my 
early  friends,  who,  having  an  iron-furnace,  found  the  cast 
ing  of  the  plates  for  these  stoves  a  profitable  thing,  as 
they  were  growing  in  demand.  To  promote  that  de 
mand,  I  wrote  and  published  a  pamphlet,  entitled  An25 
Account  of  the  new-invented  Pennsylvania  Fireplaces; 
wherein  their  Construction  and  Manner  of  Operation  is 
particularly  explained;  their  Advantages  above  every 
other  Method  of  warming  Rooms  demonstrated;  and  all 
Objections  that  have  been  raised  against  the  Use  of  themSQ 
answered  and  obviated,  etc.  This  pamphlet  had  a  good 
effect.  Governor  Thomas  was  so  pleased  with  the  con 
struction  of  this  stove,  as  described  in  it,  that  he  offered 
to  give  me  a  patent  for  the  sole  vending  of  them  for  a 


130  Franklin's  Autobiography 

term  of  years;  but  I  declined  it  from  a  principle  which 
has  ever  weighed  with  me  on  such  occasions,  viz.,  That, 
as  we  enjoy  great  advantages  from  the  inventions  of  oth 
ers,  we  should  be  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  serve  others 
5by  any  invention  of  ours;  and  this  we  should  do  freely 
and  generously^ 

An  ironmonger  in  London,  however,  assuming  a  good 
deal  of  my  pamphlet,  and  working  it  up  into  his  own,  and 
making  some  small  changes  in  the  machine,  which  rather 

lOhurt  its  operation,  got  a  patent  for  it  there,  and  made,  as 
I  was  told,  a  little  fortune  by  it.  And  this  is  not  the  only 
instance  of  patents  taken  out  for  my  inventions  by  others, 
though  not  always  with  the  same  success,  which  I  never 
contested,  as  having  no  desire  of  profiting  by  patents  my- 

15self,  and  hating  disputes.  The  use  of  these  fireplaces  in 
very  many  houses,  both  of  this  and  the  neighboring  colon 
ies,  has  been,  and  is,  a  great  saving  of  wood  to  the  inhab 
itants. 

XIII 
PUBLIC  SERVICES  AND  DUTIES  (I749-I753) 

PEACE  being  concluded,  and  the  association  business 
20therefore  at  an  end,  I  turned  my  thoughts  again  to  the 
affair  of  establishing  an  academy.  The  first  step  I  took 
was  to  associate  in  the  design  a  number  of  active  friends, 
of  whom  the  Junto  furnished  a  good  part;  the  next  was 
to  write  and  publish  a  pamphlet,  entitled  Proposals  Re- 
2§lating  to  the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania.  This 
I  distributed  among  the  principal  inhabitants  gratis;  and 
as  soon  as  I  could  suppose  their  minds  a  little  prepared  by 
the  perusal  of  it,  I  set  on  foot  a  subscription  for  opening 
and  supporting  an  academy;  it  was  to  be  paid  in  quotas 


Franklin's  Autobiography  131 

yearly  for  five  years;  by  so  dividing  it,  I  judged  the  sub 
scription  might  be  larger,  and  I  believe  it  was  so,  amount 
ing  to  no  less,  if  I  remember  right,  than  five  thousand 
pounds. 

In  the  introduction  to  these  proposals,  I  stated  their5 
publication,  not  as  an  act  of  mine,  but  of  some  public- 
spirited  gentlemen,  avoiding  as  much  as  I  could,  according 
to  my  usual  rule,  the  presenting  myself  to  the  public  as 
the  author  of  any  scheme  for  their  benefit. 

The  subscribers,   to  carry  the  project  into  immediatelO 
execution,  chose  out  of  their  number  twenty-four  trustees, 
and   appointed   Mr.   Francis,   then  attorney-general,  and 
myself  to  draw  up  constitutions  for  the  government  of 
the  academy;  which  being  done  and  signed,  a  house  was 
hired,  masters  engaged,  and  the  schools  opened,  I  think, 15 
in  the  same  year,  1749. 

The  scholars  increasing  fast,  the  house  was  soon  found 
too  small,  and  we  were  looking  out  for  a  piece  of  ground, 
properly  situated,  with  intention  to  build,  when  Provi 
dence  threw  into  our  way  a  large  house  ready  built,  which, 20 
with  a  few  alterations,  migh  well  serve  our  purpose. 
This  was  the  building  before  mentioned,  erected  by  the 
hearers  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  was  obtained  for  us  in  the 
following  manner. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  contributions  to  this  build-25 
ing   being  made  by  people  of  different  sects,   care  was 
taken  in  the  nomination  of  trustees,  in  whom  the  build 
ing  and  ground  was  to  be  vested,  that  a  predominancy 
should  not  be  given  to  any  sect,  lest  in  time  that  pre 
dominancy  might  be  a  means  of  appropriating  the  whole 30 
to  the  use  of  such  sect,  contrary  to  the  original  intention. 
It  was  therefore  that  one  of  each  sect  was  appointed,  viz., 
one  Church-of-England  man,  one  Presbyterian,  one  Bap 
tist,  one  Moravian,  etc. ;  those,  in  case  of  vacancy  by  death. 


132  FranklirTs  Autobiography 

were  to  fill  it  by  election  from  among  the  contributors. 
The  Moravian  happened  not  to  please  his  colleagues,  and 
on  his  death  they  resolved  to  have  no  other  of  that  sect. 
The  difficulty  then  was,  how  to  avoid  having  two  of  some 
5other  sect,  by  means  of  the  new  choice. 

Several  persons  were  named,  and  for  that  reason  not 
agreed  to.  At  length  one  mentioned  me,  with  the  obser 
vation  that  I  was  merely  an  honest  man,  and  of  no  sect  at 
all,  which  prevailed  with  them  to  choose  me.  The  en- 

lOthusiasm  which  existed  when  the  house  was  built  had  long 
since  abated,  and  its  trustees  had  not  been  able  to  pro 
cure  fresh  contributions  for  paying  the  ground-rent,  and 
discharging  some  other  debts  the  building  had  occasioned, 
which  embarrassed  them  greatly.  Being  now  a  member 

15of  both  sets  of  trustees,  that  for  the  building  and  that  for 
the  academy,  I  had  a  good  opportunity  of  negotiating 
with  both,  and  brought  them  finally  to  an  agreement,  by 
which  the  trustees  for  the  building  were  to  cede  it 
to  those  of  the  academy,  the  latter  undertaking  to  dis- 

20charge  the  debt,  to  keep  forever  open  in  the  building  a 
large  hall  for  occasional  preachers,  according  to  the  orig 
inal  intention,  and  maintain  a  free-school  for  the  instruc 
tion  of  poor  children.  Writings  were  accordingly  drawn, 
and  on  paying  the  debts  the  trustees  of  the  academy  were 

25put  in  possession  of  the  premises;  and  by  dividing  the 
great  and  lofty  hall  into  stories,  and  different  rooms  above 
and  below  for  the  several  schools,  and  purchasing  some 
additional  ground,  the  whole  was  soon  made  fit  for  our 
purpose,  and  the  scholars  removed  into  the  building.  The 

SOcare  and  trouble  of  agreeing  with  the  workmen,  purchas 
ing  materials,  and  superintending  the  work,  fell  upon  me ; 
and  I  went  through  it  the  more  cheerfully,  as  it  did  not 
then  interfere  with  my  private  business,  having  the  year 
before  taken  a  very  able,  industrious,  and  honest  partner, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  133 

Mr.  David  Hall,  with  whose  character  I  was  well  ac 
quainted,  as  he  had  worked  for  me  four  years.  He  took 
off  my  hands  all  care  of  the  printing-office,  paying  me 
punctually  my  share  of  the  profits.  This  partnership 
continued  eighteen  years,  successfully  for  us  both.  5 

The  trustees  of  the  academy,  after  a  while,  were  incor 
porated  by  a  charter  from  the  governor;  their  funds  were 
increased  by  contributions  in  Britain  and  grants  of  land 
from  the  proprietaries,  to  which  the  Assembly  has  since 
made  considerable  addition;  and  thus  was  establishedlO 
the  present  University  of  Philadelphia.  I  have  been 
continued  one  of  its  trustees  from  the  beginning,  now 
near  forty  years,  and  have  had  the  very  great  pleasure  of 
seeing  a  number  of  the  youth  who  have  received  their 
education  in  it,  distinguished  by  their  improved  abilities,  15 
serviceable  in  public  stations,  and  ornaments  to  their 
country. 

When  I  disengaged  myself,  as  above  mentioned,  from 
private  business,  I  flattered  myself  that,  by  the  sufficient 
though  moderate  fortune  I  had  acquired,  I  had  secured 20 
leisure  during  the  rest  of  my  life  for  philosophical  studies 
and  amusements.  I  purchased  all  Dr.  Spence's  apparatus, 
who  had  come  from  England  to  lecture  here,  and  I  pro 
ceeded  in  my  electrical  experiments  with  great  alacrity; 
but  the  public,  now  considering  me  as  a  man  of  leisure, 25 
laid  hold  of  me  for  their  purposes,  every  part  of  our  civil 
government,  and  almost  at  the  same  time,  imposing  some 
duty  upon  me.  The  governor  put  me  into  the  commis 
sion  of  the  peace;  the  corporation  of  the  city  chose  me 
of  the  common  council,  and  soon  after  an  alderman;  andSO 
the  citizens  at  large  chose  me  a  burgess  to  represent  them 
in  Assembly.  This  latter  station  was  the  more  agreeable 
to  me,  as  I  was  at  length  tired  with  sitting  there  to  hear 
debates,  in  which,  as  clerk,  I  could  take  no  part,  and 


134  Franklin's  Autobiography 

which  were  often  so  imentertaining  that  I  was  induced  to 
amuse  myself  with  making  magic  squares  or  circles,  or 
anything  to  avoid  weariness;  and  I  conceived  my  be 
coming  a  member  would  enlarge  my  power  of  doing 
5  good.  I  would  not,  however,  insinuate  that  my  ambition 
was  not  flattered  by  all  these  promotions ;  it  certainly  was ; 
for,  considering  my  low  beginning,  they  were  great  things 
to  me;  and  they  were  still  more  pleasing,  as  being  so 
many  spontaneous  testimonies  of  the  public  good  opinion, 

lOand  by  me  entirely  unsolicited. 

The  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  I  tried  a  little,  by 
attending  a  few  courts,  and  sitting  on  the  bench  to  hear 
causes;  but  finding  that  more  knowledge  of  the  common 
law  than  I  possessed  was  necessary  to  act  in  that  station 

15with  credit,  I  gradually  withdrew  from  it,  excusing  myself 
by  my  being  obliged  to  attend  the  higher  duties  of  a 
legislator  in  the  Assembly.  My  election  to  this  trust  was 
repeated  every  year  for  ten  years,  without  my  ever  asking 
any  elector  for  his  vote,  or  signifying,  either  directly  or 

20indirectly,  any  desire  of  being  chosen.  On  taking  my 
seat  in  the  House,  my  son  was  appointed  their  clerk. 

The  year  following,  a  treaty  being  to  be  held  with  the 
Indians  at  Carlisle,  the  governor  sent  a  message  to  the 
House,  proposing  that  they  should  nominate  some  of  their 

25members,  to  be  joined  with  some  members  of  council,  as 
commissioners  for  that  purpose.  The  House  named  the 
speaker  (Mr.  Norris)  and  myself;  and,  being  commis 
sioned,  we  went  to  Carlisle,  and  met  the  Indians  accord 
ingly. 

30  As  those  people  are  extremely  apt  to  get  drunk,  and, 
when  so,  are  very  quarrelsome  and  disorderly,  we  strictly 
forbade  the  selling  any  liquor  to  them;  and  when  they 
complained  of  this  restriction,  we  told  them  that  if  they 
would  continue  sober  during  the  treaty,  we  would  give 


Franklin's  Autobiography  135 

them  plenty  of  rum  when  business  was  over.  They 
promised  this,  and  they  kept  their  promise,  because  they 
could  get  no  liquor,  and  the  treaty  was  conducted  very 
orderly,  and  concluded  to  mutual  satisfaction.  They  then 
claimed  and  received  the  rum;  this  was  in  the  afternoon :5 
they  were  near  one  hundred  men,  women,  and  children, 
and  were  lodged  in  temporary  cabins,  built  in  the  form  of 
a  square,  just  without  the  town.  In  the  evening,  hearing 
a  great  noise  among  them,  the  commissioners  walked  out 
to  see  what  was  the  matter.  We  found  they  had  made  alO 
great  bonfire  in  the  middle  of  the  square;  they  were  all 
drunk,  men  and  women,  quarreling  and  fighting.  Their 
dark-colored  bodies,  half  naked,  seen  only  by  the  gloomy 
light  of  the  bonfire,  running  after  and  beating  one  another 
with  firebrands,  accompanied  by  their  horrid  yellings,15 
formed  a  scene  the  most  resembling  our  ideas  of  hell  that 
could  well  be  imagined;  there  was  no  appeasing  the 
tumult,  and  we  retired  to  our  lodging.  At  midnight  a 
number  of  them  came  thundering  at  our  door,  demanding 
more  rum,  of  which  we  took  no  notice.  20 

The  next  day,  sensible  they  had  misbehaved  in  giving 
us  that  disturbance,  they  sent  three  of  their  old  counselors 
to  make  their  apology.  The  orator  acknowledged  the 
fault,  but  laid  it  upon  the  rum;  and  then  endeavored  to 
excuse  the  rum  by  saying,  "  The  Great  Spirit,  who  made2b 
all  things,  made  everything  for  some  use,  and  whatever 
use  he  designed  anything  for,  that  use  it  should  always  be 
put  to.  Now,  when  he  made  rum,  he  said,  '  Let  this  be 
for  the  Indians  to  get  drunk  with/  and  it  must  be  so" 
And,  indeed,  if  it  be  the  design  of  Providence  to  extirpateSO 
these  savages  in  order  to  make  room  for  cultivators  of  the 
earth,  it  seems  not  improbable  that  rum  may  be  the  ap 
pointed  means.  It  has  already  annihilated  all  the  tribes 
who  formerly  inhabited  the  sea-coast. 


136  Franklin's  Autobiography 

In  1751,  Dr.  Thomas  Bond,  a  particular  friend  of  mine, 
conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a  hospital  in  Phila 
delphia  (a  very  beneficent  design,  which  has  been  ascribed 
to  me,  but  was  originally  his),  for  the  reception  and  cure 
5of  poor  sick  persons,  whether  inhabitants  of  the  province 
or  strangers.  He  was  zealous  and  active  in  endeavoring 
to  procure  subscriptions  for  it,  but  the  proposal  being  a 
novelty  in  America,  and  at  first  not  well  understood,  he 
met  but  with  small  success. 

10  At  length  he  came  to  me  with  the  compliment  that  he 
found  there  was  no  such  thing  as  carrying  a  public-spirited 
project  through  without  my  being  concerned  in  it. 
"  For,"  says  he,  "  I  am  often  asked  by  those  to  whom  I 
propose  subscribing,  Have  you  consulted  Franklin  upon 

15this  business?  And  what  does  he  think  of  it?  And 
when  I  tell  them  that  I  have  not  (supposing  it  rather  out 
of  your  line),  they  do  not  subscribe,  but  say  they  will 
consider  of  it."  I  inquired  into  the  nature  and  probable 
utility  of  his  scheme,  and  receiving  from  him  a  very  sat- 

20isfactory  explanation,  I  not  only  subscribed  to  it  myself, 
but  engaged  heartily  in  the  design  of  procuring  subscrip 
tions  from  others.  Previously,  however,  to  the  solicita 
tion,  I  endeavored  to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  people  by 
writing  on  the  subject  in  the  newspapers,  which  was  my 

25usual  custom  in  such  cases,  but  which  he  had  omitted. 

The  subscriptions  afterwards  were  more  free  and  gen 
erous;  but,  beginning  to  flag,  I  saw  they  would  be  in 
sufficient  without  some  assistance  from  the  Assembly, 
and  therefore  proposed  to  petition  for  it,  which  was  done. 

30The  country  members  did  not  at  first  relish  the  project; 
they  objected  that  it  could  only  be  serviceable  to  the  city, 
and  therefore  the  citizens  alone  should  be  at  the  expense 
of  it;  and  they  doubted  whether  the  citizens  themselves 
generally  approved  of  it.  My  allegation  on  the  contrary, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  137 

that  it  met  with  such  approbation  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of 
i  our  being  able  to  raise  two  thousand  pounds  by  voluntary 
donations,  they  considered  as  a  most  extravagant  suppo 
sition,  and  utterly  impossible. 

On  this  I  formed  my  plan;  and,  asking  leave  to  brings 
in  a  bill  for  incorporating  the  contributors  according  to 
the  prayer  of  their  petition,  and  granting  them  a  blank 
sum  of  money,  which  leave  was  obtained  chiefly  on  the 
consideration  that  the  House  could  throw  the  bill  out  if 
they  did  not  like  it,  I  drew  it  so  as  to  make  the  impor-10 
tant  clause  a  conditional  one,  viz.,  "  And  be  it  enacted, 
by  the  authority  aforesaid,  that  when  the  said  contributors 
shall  have  met  and  chosen  their  managers  and  treasurer, 
and  shall  have  raised  by  their  contributions  a  capital  stock 

Of  value   (the  yearly  interest  of  which  is  to  be  15 

applied  to  the  accommodating  of  the  sick  poor  in  the  said 
hospital,  free  of  charge  for  diet,  attendance,  advice,  and 
medicines),  and  shall  make  the  same  appear  to  the  satis 
faction  of  the  speaker  of  the  Assembly  for  the  time  being, 
that  then  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  said  speaker, 20 
and  he  is  hereby  required,  to  sign  an  order  on  the  pro 
vincial  treasurer  for  the  payment  of  two  thousand  pounds, 
in  two  yearly  payments,  to  the  treasurer  of  the  said  hospi 
tal,  to  be  applied  to  the  founding,  building,  and  finishing 
of  the  same."  25 

This  condition  carried  the  bill  through;  for  the  mem 
bers,  who  had  opposed  the  grant,  and  now  conceived  they 
might  have  the  credit  of  being  charitable  without  the  ex 
pense,  agreed  to  its  passage;  and  then,  in  soliciting  sub 
scriptions  among  the  people,  we  urged  the  conditional 30 
promise  of  the  law  as  an  additional  motive  to  give,  since 
every  man's  donation  would  be  doubled ;  thus  the  clause 
worked  both  ways.  The  subscriptions  accordingly  soon 
exceeded  the  requisite  sum,  and  we  claimed  and  received 


138  Franklin's  Autobiography 

the  public  gift,  which  enabled  us  to  carry  the  design  into 
execution.  A  convenient  and  handsome  building  was 
soon  erected;  the  institution  has  by  constant  experience 
been  found  useful,  and  flourishes  to  this  day;  and  I  do 
5not  remember  any  of  my  political  maneuvers,  the  success 
of  which  gave  me  at  the  time  more  pleasure,  or  wherein, 
after  thinking  of  it,  I  more  easily  excused  myself  for 
having  made  some  use  of  cunning. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  another  projector,  the  Rev. 

lOGilbert  Tennent,  came  to  me  with  a  request  that  I  would 
assist  him  in  procuring  a  subscription  for  erecting  a  new 
meeting-house.  It  was  to  be  for  the  use  of  a  congrega 
tion  he  had  gathered  among  the  Presbyterians,  who  were 
originally  disciples  of  Mr.  Whitefield.  Unwilling  to  | 

ISmake  myself  disagreeable  to  my  fellow-citizens  by  too  fre 
quently  soliciting  their  contributions,  I  absolutely  refused. 
He  then  desired  I  would  furnish  him  with  a  list  of  the 
names  of  persons  I  knew  by  experience  to  be  generous  and 
public-spirited.  I  thought  it  would  be  unbecoming  in 

20me,  after  their  kind  compliance  with  my  solicitations,  to 
mark  them  out  to  be  worried  by  other  beggars,  and  there 
fore  refused  also  to  give  such  a  list.  He  then  desired  I 
would  at  least  give  him  my  advice.  "  That  I  will  readily 
do,"  said  I ;  "  and,  in  the  first  place,  I  advise  you  to 

25apply  to  all  those  whom  you  know  will  give  something; 
next,  to  those  whom  you  are  uncertain  whether  they  will 
give  anything  or  not,  and  show  them  the  list  of  those 
who  have  given ;  and,  lastly,  do  not  neglect  those  who 
you  are  sure  will  give  nothing,  for  in  some  of  them  you 

30may  be  mistaken."  He  laughed  and  thanked  me,  and  said 
he  would  take  my  advice.  He  did  so,  for  he  asked  of 
everybody,  and  he  obtained  a  much  larger  sum  than  he 
expected,  with  which  he  erected  the  capacious  and  very 
elegant  meeting-house  that  stands  in  Arch  Street, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  139 

Our  city,  though  laid  out  with  a  beautiful  regularity, 
the  streets  large,  straight,  and  crossing  each  other  at  right 
angles,  had  the  disgrace  of  suffering  those  streets  to  re 
main  long  unpaved,  and  in  wet  weather  the  wheels  of 
heavy  carriages  ploughed  them  into  a  quagmire,  so  that  it5 
was  difficult  to  cross  them;  and  in  dry  weather  the  dust 
was  offensive.  I  had  lived  near  what  was  called  the  Jersey 
Market,  and  saw  with  pain  the  inhabitants  wading  in  mud 
while  purchasing  their  provisions.  A  strip  of  ground 
down  the  middle  of  that  market  was  at  length  paved  withlC 
brick,  so  that,  being  once  in  the  market,  they  had  firm 
footing,  but  were  often  over  shoes  in  dirt  to  get  there. 
By  talking  and  writing  on  the  subject,  I  was  at  length 
instrumental  in  getting  the  street  paved  with  stone  between 
the  market  and  the  bricked  foot-pavement  that  was  on  16 
each  side  next  the  houses.  This,  for  some  time,  gave  an 
easy  access  to  the  market  dry-shod ;  but,  the  rest  of  the 
street  not  being  paved,  whenever  a  carriage  came  out  of 
the  mud  upon  this  pavement,  it  shook  off  and  left  its  dirt 
upon  it,  and  it  was  soon  covered  with  mire,  which  was  not 20 
removed,  the  city  as  yet  having  no  scavengers. 

After  some  inquiry,  I  found  a  poor,  industrious  man, 
who  was  willing  to  undertake  keeping  the  pavement  clean, 
by  sweeping  it  twice  a  week,  carrying  off  the  dirt  from 
before  all  the  neighbors'  doors,  for  the  sum  of  sixpence 2 5 
per  month,  to  be  paid  by  each  house.  I  then  wrote  and 
printed  a  paper  setting  forth  the  advantages  to  the  neigh 
borhood  that  might  be  obtained  by  this  small  expense; 
the  greater  ease  in  keeping  our  houses  clean,  so  much 
dirt  not  being  brought  in  by  people's  feet;  the  benefit  toSO 
the  shops  by  more  custom,  etc.,  etc.,  as  buyers  could 
more  easily  get  at  them;  and  by  not  having,  in  windy 
weather,  the  dust  blown  in  upon  their  goods,  etc.,  etc.  I 
sent  one  of  these  papers  to  each  house,  and  in  a  day  or 


140  Franklin's  Autobiography 

two  went  round  to  see  who  would  subscribe  an  agreement 
to  pay  these  sixpences;  it  was  unanimously  signed,  and 
for  a  time  well  executed.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  city 
were  delighted  with  the  cleanliness  of  the  pavement  that 
6surrounded  the  market,  it  being  a  convenience  to  all, 
and  this  raised  a  general  desire  to  have  all  the  streets 
paved,  and  made  the  people  more  willing  to  submit  to  a 
tax  for  that  purpose. 

After  some  time  I  drew  a  bill  for  paving  the  city,  and 

lObrought  it  into  the  Assembly.  It  was  just  before  I  went 
to  England,  in  1757,  and  did  not  pass  till  I  was  gone, 
and  then  with  an  alteration  in  the  mode  of  assessment, 
which  I  thought  not  for  the  better,  but  with  an  additional 
provision  for  lighting  as  well  as  paving  the  streets,  which 

IBwas  a  great  improvement.  It  was  by  a  private  person, 
the  late  Mr.  John  Clifton,  his  giving  a  sample  of  the  utility 
of  lamps,  by  placing  one  at  his  door,  that  the  people  were 
first  impressed  with  the  idea  of  enlighting  all  the  city. 
The  honor  of  this  public  benefit  has  also  been  ascribed 

20to  me,  but  it  belongs  truly  to  that  gentleman.  I  did 
but  follow  his  example,  and  have  only  some  merit  to 
claim  respecting  the  form  of  our  lamps,  as  differing  from 
the  globe  lamps  we  were  at  first  supplied  with  from  Lon 
don.  Those  we  found  inconvenient  in  these  respects: 

25they  admitted  no  air  below;  the  smoke,  therefore,  did 
not  readily  go  out  above,  but  circulated  in  the  globe, 
lodged  on  its  inside,  and  soon  obstructed  the  light  they 
were  intended  to  afford ;  giving,  besides,  the  daily  trouble 
of  wiping  them  clean ;  and  an  accidental  stroke  on  one 

30of  them  would  demolish  it,  and  render  it  totally  useless. 
I  therefore  suggested  the  composing  them  of  four  flat 
panes,  with  a  long  funnel  above  to  draw  up  the  smoke, 
and  crevices  admitting  air  below,  to  facilitate  the  ascent 
of  the  smoke;  by  this  means  they  were  kept  clean,  and 


Franklin's  Autobiography  141 

did  not  grow  dark  in  a  few  hours,  as  the  London  lamps 
do,  but  continued  bright  till  morning,  and  an  accidental 
stroke  would  generally  break  but  a  single  pane,  easily 
repaired. 

I   have   sometimes  wondered   that  the   Londoners   did 5 
not,   from   the  effect  holes  in   the  bottom  of   the   globe 
lamps  used  at  Vauxhall  have  in  keeping  them  clean,  learn 
to    have    such   holes   in    their   street   lamps.     But,    these 
holes  being  made  for  another  purpose,  viz.,  to  communi 
cate   flame  more  suddenly  to  the  wick  by   a  little   flaxlO 
hanging  down  through  them,  the  other  use,  of  letting  in 
air,  seems  not  to  have  been  thought  of;  and  therefore, 
after  the  lamps  have  been  lit  a  few  hours,  the  streets  of 
London  are  very  poorly  illuminated. 

The  mention  of  these  improvements  puts  me  in  mind  15 
of  one  I  proposed,  when  in  London,  to  Dr.  Fothergill,  who 
was  among  the  best  men  I  have  known,  and  a  great  pro 
moter  of  useful  projects.  I  had  observed  that  the  streets, 
when  dry,  were  never  swept,  and  the  light  dust  carried 
away;  but  it  was  suffered  to  accumulate  till  wet  weather 20 
reduced  it  to  mud,  and  then,  after  lying  some  days  so 
deep  on  the  pavement  that  there  was  no  crossing  but  in 
paths  kept  clean  by  poor  people  with  brooms,  it  was  with 
great  labor  raked  together  and  thrown  up  into  carts  open 
above,  the  sides  of  which  suffered  some  of  the  slush  at25 
every  jolt  on  the  pavement  to  shake  out  and  fall, 
sometimes  to  the  annoyance  of  foot-passengers.  The 
reason  given  for  not  sweeping  the  dusty  streets  was 
that  the  dust  would  fly  into  the  windows  of  shops  and 
houses.  30 

An  accidental  occurrence  had  instructed  me  how  much 
sweeping  might  be  done  in  a  little  time.  I  found  at  my 
door  in  Craven  Street,  one  morning,  a  poor  woman  sweep 
ing  my  pavement  with  a  birch  broom;  she  appeared  very 


142  Franklin's  Autobiography 

pale  and  feeble,  as  just  come  out  of  a  fit  of  sickness.  I 
asked  who  employed  her  to  sweep  there ;  she  said,  "  No 
body,  but  I  am  very  poor  and  in  distress,  and  I  sweeps 
before  gentlefolkses  doors,  and  hopes  they  will  give  me 
5something."  I  bid  her  sweep  the  whole  street  clean,  and 
I  would  give  her  a  shilling;  this  was  at  nine  o'clock;  at 
12  she  came  for  the  shilling.  From  the  slowness  I  saw 
at  first  in  her  working,  I  could  scarce  believe  that  the 
work  was  done  so  soon,  and  sent  my  servant  to  examine 

10 it,  who  reported  that  the  whole  street  was  swept  perfectly 
clean,  and  all  the  dust  placed  in  the  gutter,  which  was  in 
the  middle;  and  the  next  rain  washed  it  quite  away,  so 
that  the  pavement  and  even  the  kennel  were  perfectly 
clean. 

15  I  then  judged  that,  if  that  feeble  woman  could  sweep 
such  a  street  in  three  hours,  a  strong,  active  man  might 
have  done  it  in  half  the  time.  And  here  let  me  remark 
the  convenience  of  having  but  one  gutter  in  such  a  narrow 
street,  running  down  its  middle,  instead  of  two,  one  on 

20each  side,  near  the  footway;  for  where  all  the  rain  that 
falls  on  a  street  runs  from  the  sides  and  meets  in  the 
middle,  it  forms  there  a  current  strong  enough  to  wash 
away  all  the  mud  it  meets  with;  but  when  divided  into 
two  channels,  it  is  often  too  weak  to  cleanse  either,  and 

25only  makes  the  mud  it  finds  more  fluid,  so  that  the  wheels 
of  carriages  and  feet  of  horses  throw  and  dash  it  upon 
the  foot-pavement,  which  is  thereby  rendered  foul  and 
slippery,  and  sometimes  splash  it  upon  those  who  are 
walking.  My  proposal,  communicated  to  the  good  doctor, 

30 was  as  follows: 

"  For  the  more  effectual  cleaning  and  keeping  clean 
the  streets  of  London  and  Westminster,  it  is  proposed 
that  the  several  watchmen  be  contracted  with  to  have 
the  dust  swept  up  in  dry  seasons,  and  the  mud  raked  up 


Franklin's  Autobiography  143 

at  other  times,  each  in  the  several  streets  and  lanes  of 
his  round;  that  they  be  furnished  with  brooms  and  other 
proper  instruments  for  these  purposes,  to  be  kept  at  their 
respective  stands,  ready  to  furnish  the  poor  people  they 
may  employ  in  the  service.  5 

"  That  in  the  dry  summer  months  the  dust  be  all  swept 
up  into  heaps  at  proper  distances,  before  the  shops  and 
windows  of  houses  are  usually  opened,  when  the  scav 
engers,  with  close-covered  carts,  shall  also  carry  it  all 
away.  10 

"  That  the  mud,  when  raked  up,  be  not  left  in  heaps  to 
be  spread  abroad  again  by  the  wheels  of  carriages  and 
trampling  of  horses,  but  that  the  scavengers  be  provided 
with  bodies  of  carts,  not  placed  high  upon  wheels,  but 
low  upon  sliders,  with  lattice  bottoms,  which,  being  cov-15 
ered  with  straw,  will  retain  the  mud  thrown  into  them, 
and  permit  the  water  to  drain  from  it,  whereby  it  will  be 
come  much  lighter,  water  making  the  greatest  part  of  its 
weight ;  these  bodies  of  carts  to  be  placed  at  convenient  dis 
tances,  and  the  mud  brought  to  them  in  wheelbarrows; 20 
they  remaining  where  placed  till  the  mud  is  drained,  and 
then  horses  brought  to  draw  them  away." 

I  have  since  had  doubts  of  the  practicability  of  the 
latter  part  of  this  proposal,  on  account  of  the  narrowness 
of  some  streets,  and  the  difficulty  of  placing  the  draining-25 
sleds  so  as  not  to  encumber  too  much  the  passage;  but 
I  am  still  of  opinion  that  the  former,  requiring  the  dust 
to  be  swept  up  and  carried  away  before  the  shops  are 
open,  is  very  practicable  in  the  summer,  when  the  days 
are  long;  for,  in  walking  through  the  Strand  and  Fleet 30 
Street  one  morning  at  seven  o'clock,  I  observed  there  was 
not  one  shop  open,  though  it  had  been  daylight  and  the 
sun  up  above  three  hours;  the  inhabitants  of  London 
choosing  voluntarily  to  live  much  by  candle  light,  arid 


144  Franklin's  Autobiography 

sleep  by  sunshine,  and  yet  often  complain,  a  little  absurdly  x 
of  the  duty  on  candles,  and  the  high  price  of  tallow. 

Some  may  think  these  trifling  matters  not  worth  mind 
ing  or  relating;  but  when  they  consider  that  though  dust 
5blown  into  the  eyes  of  a  single  person,  or  into  a  single 
shop  on  a  windy  day,  is  but  of  small  importance,  yet  the 
great  number  of  the  instances  in  a  populous  city,  and  its 
frequent  repetitions  give  it  weight  and  consequence,  per 
haps  they  will  not  censure  very  severely  those  who  be- 

lOstow  some  attention  to  affairs  of  this  seemingly  low 
nature.  Human  felicity  is  produced  not  so  much  by 
great  pieces  of  good  fortune  that  seldom  happen,  as  by 
little  advantages  that  occur  every  day.  Thus,  if  you 
teach  a  poor  young  man  to  shave  himself,  and  keep  his 

15  razor  in  order,  you  may  contribute  more  to  the  happiness 
of  his  life  than  in  giving  him  a  thousand  guineas.  The 
money  may  be  soon  spent,  the  regret  only  remaining  of 
having  foolishly  consumed  it;  but  in  the  other  case, 
he  escapes  the  frequent  vexation  of  waiting  for  barbers, 

20and  of  their  sometimes  dirty  fingers,  offensive  breaths, 
and  dull  razors;  he  shaves  when  most  convenient  to  him, 
and  enjoys  daily  the  pleasure  of  its  being  done  with  a 
good  instrument.  With  these  sentiments  I  have  hazarded 
the  few  preceding  pages,  hoping  they  may  afford  hints 

2 5 which  some  time  or  other  may  be  useful  to  a  city  I  love, 
having  lived  many  years  in  it  very  happily,  and  perhaps 
to  some  of  our  towns  in  America. 

Having  been    for   some   time   employed   by   the   post 
master-general   of  America  as  his  comptroller   in   regu- 

30lating  several  offices,  and  bringing  the  officers  to  account, 
I  was,  upon  his  death  in  1753,  appointed,  jointly  with 
Mr.  William  Hunter,  to  succeed  him,  by  a  commission 
from  the  postmaster-general  in  England.  The  American 
office  never  had  hitherto  paid  anything  to  that  of  Britain. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  145 

We  were  to  have  six  hundred  pounds  a  year  between  us, 
if  we  could  make  that  sum  out  of  the  profits  of  the  office. 
To  do  this,  a  variety  of  improvements  were  necessary; 
some  of  these  were  inevitably  at  first  expensive,  so  that  in 
the  first  four  years  the  office  became  above  nine  hundreds 
pounds  in  debt  to  us.  But  it  soon  after  began  to  repay 
us ;  and  before  I  was  displaced  by  a  freak  of  the  ministers, 
of  which  I  shall  speak  hereafter,  we  had  brought  it  to 
yield  three  times  as  much  clear  revenue  to  the  crown  as 
the  post-office  of  Ireland.  Since  that  imprudent  transac-10 
tion,  they  have  received  from  it  —  not  one  farthing! 

The  business  of  the  post-office  occasioned  my  taking  a 
journey  this  year  to  New  England,  where  the  College  of 
Cambridge,  of  their  own  motion,  presented  me  with  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  Yale  College,  in  Connecticut,15 
had  before  made  me  a  similar  compliment.  Thus,  with 
out  studying  in  any  college,  I  came  to  partake  of  their 
honors.  They  were  conferred  in  consideration  of  my 
improvements  and  discoveries  in  the  electric  branch  of 
natural  philosophy.  20 

XIV 
ALBANY  PLAN  OF  UNION 

IN  1754,  war  with  France  being  again  apprehended,  a 
congress  of  commissioners  from  the  different  colonies 
was,  by  an  order  of  the  Lords  of  Trade,  to  be  assembled  at 
Albany,  there  to  confer  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations 
concerning  the  means  of  defending  both  their  country25 
and  ours.  Governor  Hamilton,  having  received  this  or 
der,  acquainted  the  House  with  it,  requesting  they  would 
furnish  proper  presents  for  the  Indians,  to  be  given 
on  this  occasion;  and  naming  the  speaker  (Mr.  Norris) 


146  Franklin's  Autobiography 

and  myself  to  join  Mr.  Thomas  Penn  and  Mr.  Sec 
retary  Peters  as  commissioners  to  act  for  Pennsylvania. 
The  House  approved  the  nomination,  and  provided  the 
goods  for  the  present,  and  though  they  did  not  much  like 
5treating  out  of  the  provinces;  and  we  met  the  other  com 
missioners  at  Albany  about  the  middle  of  June. 

In  our  way  thither,  I  projected  and  drew  a  plan  for 
the  union  of  all  the  colonies  under  one  government,  so 
far  as  might  be  necessary  for  defense,  and  other  impor- 

lOtant  general  purposes.  As  we  passed  through  New  York, 
I  had  there  shown  my  project  to  Mr.  James  Alexander 
and  Mr.  Kennedy,  two  gentlemen  of  great  knowledge 
in  public  affairs,  and,  being  fortified  by  their  approbation, 
I  ventured  to  lay  it  before  the  Congress.  It  then  ap- 

15peared  that  several  of  the  commissioners  had  formed  plans 
of  the  same  kind.  A  previous  question  was  first  taken, 
whether  a  union  should  be  established,  which  passed  in  the 
affirmative  unanimously.  A  committee  was  then  ap 
pointed,  one  member  from  each  colony,  to  consider  the 

20several  plans  and  report.  Mine  happened  to  be  pre 
ferred,  and,  with  a  few  amendments,  was  accordingly 
reported. 

By  this  plan  the  general  government  was  to  be  adminis 
tered  by  a  president-general,  appointed  and  supported  by 

2 5 the  crown,  and  a  grand  council  was  to  be  chosen  by  the 
representatives  of  the  people  of  the  several  colonies,  met 
in  their  respective  assemblies.  The  debates  upon  it  in 
Congress  went  on  daily,  hand  in  hand  with  the  Indian 
business.  Many  objections  and  difficulties  were  started, 

30but  at  length  they  were  all  overcome,  and  the  plan  was 
unanimously  agreed  to,  and  copies  ordered  to  be  trans 
mitted  to  the  Board  of  Trade  and  to  the  assemblies  of 
the  several  provinces.  Its  fate  was  singular;  the  assem 
blies  did  not  adopt  it,  as  they  all  thought  there  was  too 


Franklin's  Autobiography  147 

much  prerogative  in  it,  and  in  England  it  was  judged  to 
have  too  much  of  the  democratic.  The  Board  of  Trade 
therefore  did  not  approve  of  it,  nor  recommend  it  for  the 
approbation  of  his  majesty;  but  another  scheme  was 
formed,  supposed  to  answer  the  same  purpose  better, 5 
whereby  the  governors  of  the  provinces,  with  some  mem 
bers  of  their  respective  councils,  were  to  meet  and  order 
the  raising  of  troops,  building  of  forts,  etc.,  and  to  draw 
on  the  treasury  of  Great  Britain  for  the  expense,  which 
was  afterwards  to  be  refunded  by  an  act  of  Parliament  10 
laying  a  tax  on  America.  My  plan,  with  my  reasons  in 
support  of  it,  is  to  be  found  among  my  political  papers 
that  are  printed. 

Being  the  winter  following  in  Boston,   I  had  much 
conversation  with  Governor  Shirley  upon  both  the  plans.  15 
Part  of  what  passed  between  us  on  the  occasion  may  also 
be   seen    among   those   papers.     The   different   and   con 
trary  reasons  of  dislike  to  my  plan  makes  me  suspect  that 
it  was  really  the  true  medium;  and  I  am  still  of  opinion 
it  would   have  been  happy  for  both  sides  the  water  if 20 
it  had   been   adopted.     The   colonies,   so   united,   would 
have  been  sufficiently  strong  to  have  defended  themselves; 
there  would  then  have  been  no  need  of  troops  from  Eng 
land  ;  of  course,  the  subsequent  pretense  for  taxing  Amer 
ica,   and    the   bloody   contest   it   occasioned,   would   have 25 
been  avoided.     But  such  mistakes  are  not  new;  history 
is  full  of  the  errors  of  states  and  princes. 

"Look  round  the  habitable  world,  how  few 
Know  their  own  good,  or,  knowing  it,  pursue !  " 

Those   who    govern,   having   much   business   on    theirso 
hands,  do  not  generally  like  to  take  the  trouble  of  con 
sidering  and  carrying  into  execution  new  projects.     The 


148  Franklin's  Autobiography 

best  public  measures  are  therefore  seldom  adopted  from 
previous  wisdom,  but  forced  by  the  occasion. 

The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  in  sending  it  down  to 
the  Assembly,  expressed  his  approbation  of  the  plan,  "  as 
Bappearing  to  him  to  be  drawn  up  with  great  clearness 
and   strength  of  judgment,   and   therefore   recommended 
it  as  well  worthy  of  their  closest  and  most  serious  atten 
tion."     The  House,  however,  by  the  management  of  a 
certain  member,  took  it  up  when  I  happened  to  be  ab- 
lOsent,  which  I  thought  not  very  fair,  and  reprobated  it 
without  paying  any  attention  to  it  at  all,  to  my  no  small 
mortification. 

XV 

QUARRELS  WITH  THE  PROPRIETARY  GOV 
ERNORS 

IN  my  journey  to  Boston  this  year,  I  met  at  New  York 
with  our  new  governor,  Mr.  Morris,  just  arrived  there 

15from  England,  with  whom  I  had  been  before  intimately 
acquainted.  He  brought  a  commission  to  supersede  Mr. 
Hamilton,  who,  tired  with  the  disputes  his  proprietary  in 
structions  subjected  him  to,  had  resigned.  Mr.  Morris 
asked  me  if  I  thought  he  must  expect  as  uncomfortable  an 

20administration.  I  said,  "No;  you  may,  on  the  contrary, 
have  a  very  comfortable  one,  if  you  will  only  take  care  not 
to  enter  into  any  dispute  with  the  Assembly."  "  My 
dear  friend,"  says  he,  pleasantly,  "  how  can  you  advise  my 
avoiding  disputes?  You  know  I  love  disputing;  it  is 

25one  of  my  greatest  pleasures;  however,  to  show  the  re 
gard  I  have  for  your  counsel,  I  promise  you  I  will,  if 
possible,  avoid  them."  He  had  some  reason  for  loving 
to  dispute,  being  eloquent,  an  acute  sophister,  and,  there- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  149 

fore,  generally  successful  in  argumentative  conversation. 
He  had  been  brought  up  to  it  from  a  boy,  his  father,  as 
I  have  heard,  accustoming  his  children  to  dispute  with 
one  another  for  his  diversion,  while  sitting  at  table  after 
dinner;  but  I  think  the  practice  was  not  wise;  for,  in5 
the  course  of  my  observation,  these  disputing,  contra 
dicting,  and  confuting  people  are  generally  unfortunate 
in  their  affairs.  They  get  victory  sometimes,  but  they 
never  get  good  will,  which  would  be  of  more  use  to 
them.  We  parted,  he  going  to  Philadelphia,  and  I  to  10 
Boston. 

In  returning,  I  met  at  New  York  with  the  votes  of  the 
Assembly,  by  which  it  appeared  that,  notwithstanding  his 
promise  to  me,  he  and  the  House  were  already  in  high 
contention;  and  it  was  a  continual  battle  between  them  15 
as  long  as  he  retained  the  government.  I  had  my  share 
of  it;  for,  as  soon  as  I  got  back  to  my  seat  in  the  Assem 
bly,  I  was  put  on  every  committee  for  answering  his 
speeches  and  messages,  and  by  the  committees  always 
desired  to  make  the  drafts.  Our  answers,  as  well  as  his 20 
messages,  were  often  tart,  and  sometimes  indecently 
abusive;  and,  as  he  knew  I  wrote  for  the  Assembly,  one 
might  have  imagined  that,  when  we  met,  we  could 
hardly  avoid  cutting  throats;  but  he  was  so  good-natured 
a  man  that  no  personal  difference  between  him  and  me  2 5 
was  occasioned  by  the  contest,  and  we  often  dined  to 
gether. 

One  afternoon,  in  the  height  of  this  public  quarrel,  we 
met  in  the  street.  "  Franklin,"  says  he,  "  you  must  go 
home  with  me  and  spend  the  evening;  I  am  to  haveso 
some  company  that  you  will  like;"  and,  taking  me  by 
the  arm,  he  led  me  to  his  house.  In  gay  conversation 
over  our  wine,  after  supper,  he  told  us,  jokingly,  that  he 
much  admired  the  idea  of  Sancho  Panza,  who,  when  it  wa$ 


150  Franklin's  Autobiography 

proposed  to  give  him  a  government,  requested  it  might  be  a 
government  of  blacks,  as  then,  if  he  could  not  agree  with 
his  people,  he  might  sell  them.  One  of  his  friends,  who  sat 
next  to  me,  says,  "  Franklin,  why  do  you  continue  to  side 
5with  these  damned  Quakers?  Had  not  you  better  sell 
them?  The  proprietor  would  give  you  a  good  price." 
"  The  governor,"  says  I,  "  has  not  yet  blacked  them 
enough."  He,  indeed,  had  labored  hard  to  blacken  the 
Assembly  in  all  his  messages,  but  they  wiped  off  his  color- 

lOing  as  fast  as  he  laid  it  on,  and  placed  it,  in  return,  thick 
upon  his  own  face;  so  that,  finding  he  was  likely  to  be 
negrofied  himself,  he,  as  well  as  Mr.  Hamilton,  grew 
tired  of  the  contest,  and  quitted  the  government. 

These  public  quarrels  were  all  at  bottom  owing  to  the 

15proprietaries,  our  hereditary  governors,  who,  when  any 
expense  was  to  be  incurred  for  the  defense  of  their  prov 
ince,  with  incredible  meanness  instructed  their  deputies  to 
pass  no  act  for  levying  the  necessary  taxes,  unless  their 
vast  estates  were  in  the  same  act  expressly  excused;  and 

20they  had  even  taken  bonds  of  these  deputies  to  observe  such 
instructions.  The  Assemblies  for  three  years  held  out 
against  this  injustice,  though  constrained  to  bend  at  last. 
At  length  Captain  Denny,  who  was  Governor  Morris's 
successor,  ventured  to  disobey  those  instructions;  how 

25that  was  brought  about  I  shall  show  hereafter. 

But  I  am  got  forward  too  fast  with  my  story:  there  are 
still  some  transactions  to  be  mentioned  that  happened 
during  the  administration  of  Governor  Morris. 

War  being  in  a  manner  commenced  with  France,  the 

SOgovernment  of  Massachusetts  Bay  projected  an  attack 
upon  Crown  Point,  and  sent  Mr.  Quincy  to  Pennsylvania, 
and  Mr.  Pownall,  afterward  Governor  Pownall,  to  New 
York,  to  solicit  assistance.  As  I  was  in  the  Assembly, 
knew  its  temper,  and  was  Mr.  Quincy 's  countryman,  he 


Franklin's  Autobiography  151 

applied  to  me  for  my  influence  and  assistance.  I  dictated 
his  address  to  them,  which  was  well  received.  They 
voted  an  aid  of  ten  thousand  pounds,  to  be  laid  out  in  pro 
visions.  But  the  governor  refusing  his  assent  to  their  bill 
(which  included  this  with  other  sums  granted  for  the  use5 
of  the  crown),  unless  a  clause  were  inserted  exempting  the 
proprietary  estate  from  bearing  any  part  of  the  tax  that 
would  be  necessary,  the  Assembly,  though  very  desirous  of 
making  their  grant  to  New  England  effectual,  were  at 
a  loss  how  to  accomplish  it.  Mr.  Quincy  labored  hard  10 
with  the  governor  to  obtain  his  assent,  but  he  was  ob 
stinate. 

I  then  suggested  a  method  of  doing  the  business  with 
out  the  governor,  by  orders  on  the  trustees  of  the  Loan 
Office,  which,  by  law,  the  Assembly  had  the  right  of!5 
drawing.  There  wyas,  indeed,  little  or  no  money  at  that 
time  in  the  office,  and  therefore  I  proposed  that  the  orders 
should  be  payable  in  a  year,  and  to  bear  an  interest 
of  five  per  cent.  With  these  orders  I  supposed  the  pro 
visions  might  easily  be  purchased.  The  Assembly,  with 20 
very  little  hesitation,  adopted  the  proposal.  The  orders 
were  immediately  printed,  and  I  was  one  of  the  committee 
directed  to  sign  and  dispose  of  them.  The  fund  for 
paying  them  was  the  interest  of  all  the  paper  currency 
then  extant  in  the  province  upon  loan,  together  with  the 25 
revenue  arising  from  the  excise,  which  being  known  to  be 
more  than  sufficient,  they  obtained  instant  credit,  and 
were  not  only  received  in  payment  for  the  provisions,  but 
many  moneyed  people,  who  had  cash  lying  by  them, 
vested  it  in  those  orders,  which  they  found  advantageous,  30 
as  they  bore  interest  while  upon  hand,  and  might  on  any 
occasion  be  used  as  money;  so  that  they  were  eagerly 
all  bought  up,  and  in  a  few  weeks  none  of  them  were  to 
be  seen.  Thus  this  important  affair  was  by  my  means 


152  Franklin's  Autobiography 

completed.  Mr.  Quincy  returned  thanks  to  the  Assembly 
in  a  handsome  memorial,  went  home  highly  pleased  with 
the  success  of  his  embassy,  and  ever  after  bore  for  me  the 
most  cordial  and  affectionate  friendship. 


XVI 
BRADDOCK'S  EXPEDITION 

5  THE  British  government,  not  choosing  to  permit  the 
union  of  the  colonies  as  proposed  at  Albany,  and  to  trust 
that  union  with  their  defense,  lest  they  should  thereby 
grow  too  military,  and  feel  their  own  strength,  suspicions 
and  jealousies  at  this  time  being  entertained  of  them,  sent 

lOover  General  Braddock  with  two  regiments  of  regular 
English  troops  for  that  purpose.  He  landed  at  Alexan 
dria,  in  Virginia,  and  thence  marched  to  Frederictown,  in 
Maryland,  where  he  halted  for  carriages.  Our  Assembly 
apprehending,  from  some  information,  that  he  had  con- 

isceived  violent  prejudices  against  them,  as  averse  to  the 
service,  wished  me  to  wait  upon  him,  not  as  from  them, 
but  as  postmaster-general,  under  the  guise  of  proposing 
to  settle  with  him  the  mode  of  conducting  with  most  ce 
lerity  and  certainty  the  despatches  between  him  and  the 

20governors  of  the  several  provinces,  with  whom  he  must 
necessarily  have  continual  correspondence,  and  of  which 
they  proposed  to  pay  the  expense.  My  son  accompanied 
me  on  this  journey. 

We  found  the  general  at  Frederictown,  waiting  im- 

25patiently  for  the  return  of  those  he  had  sent  through  the 
back  parts  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  to  collect  wagons. 
I  stayed  with  him  several  days,  dined  with  him  daily,  and 
had  full  opportunity  of  removing  all  his  prejudices,  by  the 
information  of  what  the  Assembly  had  before  his  arrival 


Franklin's  Autobiography  153 

actually  done,  and  were  still  willing  to  do,  to  facilitate  his 
operations.  When  I  was  about  to  depart,  the  returns  of 
wagons  to  be  obtained  were  brought  in,  by  which  it 
appeared  that  they  amounted  only  to  twenty-five,  and  not 
all  of  those  were  in  serviceable  condition.  The  generals 
and  all  the  officers  were  surprised,  declared  the  expedi 
tion  was  then  at  an  end,  being  impossible,  and  exclaimed 
against  the  ministers  for  ignorantly  landing  them  in  a 
country  destitute  of  the  means  of  conveying  their  stores, 
baggage,  etc.,  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagonslO 
being  necessary. 

I  happened  to  say  I  thought  it  was  a  pity  they  had  not 
been  landed  rather  in  Pennsylvania,  as  in  that  country 
almost    every    farmer    had    his    wagon.     The    general 
eagerly  laid  hold  of  my  words,  and  said,  "  Then  you,  sir,  15 
who  are  a  man  of  interest  there,  can  probably  procure 
them  for  us,  and  I  beg  you  will  undertake  it."     I  asked 
what  terms  were  to  be  offered  the  owners  of  the  wagons, 
and  I  was  desired  to  put  on  paper  the  terms  that  appeared 
to  me  necessary.     This  I  did,  and  they  were  agreed  to, 20 
and  a  commission  and  instructions  accordingly  prepared 
immediately.     What  those  terms  were  will  appear  in  the 
advertisement  I  published  as  soon  as  I  arrived  at  Lan 
caster,  which  being,  from  the  great  and  sudden  effect  it 
produced,  a  piece  of  some  curiosity,  I  shall  insert  it  at  2  5 
length,  as  follows : 

"  ADVERTISEMENT. 

"LANCASTER,  April  26,  1755. 

"  Whereas,  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons,  with  four 
horses  to  each  wagon,  and  fifteen  hundred  saddle  or30 
pack  horses,  are  wanted  for  the  service  of  his  majesty's 
forces  now  about  to  rendezvous  at  Will's  Creek,  and  his 
excellency  General  Braddock  having  been  pleased  to  em 
power  me  to  contract  for  the  hire  of  the  same,  I  hereby 


154  Franklin's  Autobiography 

give  notice  that  I  shall  attend  for  that  purpose  at  Lan 
caster  from  this  day  to  next  Wednesday  evening,  and  at 
York  from  next  Thursday  morning  till  Friday  evening, 
where  I  shall  be  ready  to  agree  for  wagons  and  teams,  or 
5 single  horses,  on  the  following  terms,  viz.:  I.  That  there 
shall  be  paid  for  each  wagon,  with  four  good  horses  and  a 
driver,  fifteen  shillings  per  diem;  and  for  each  able  horse 
with  a  pack-saddle,  or  other  saddle  and  furniture,  two 
shillings  per  diem;  and  for  each  able  horse  without  a 

lOsaddle,  eighteen  pence  per  diem.  2.  That  the  pay  com 
mence  from  the  time  of  their  joining  the  forces  at  Will's 
Creek,  which  must  be  on  or  before  the  2Oth  of  May 
ensuing,  and  that  a  reasonable  allowance  be  paid  over  and 
above  for  the  time  necessary  for  their  traveling  to  Will's 

15 Creek  and  home  again  after  their  discharge.  3.  Each 
wagon  and  team,  and  every  saddle  or  pack  horse,  is  to 
be  valued  by  indifferent  persons  chosen  between  me  and 
the  owner;  and  in  case  of  the  loss  of  any  wagon,  team, 
or  other  horse  in  the  service,  the  price  according  to  such 

2  evaluation  is  to  be  allowed  and  paid.  4.  Seven  days'  pay 
is  to  be  advanced  and  paid  in  hand  by  me  to  the  owner 
of  each  wagon  and  team,  or  horse,  at  the  time  of  con 
tracting,  if  required,  and  the  remainder  to  be  paid  by 
General  Braddock,  or  by  the  paymaster  of  the  army,  at 

25the  time  of  their  discharge,  or  from  time  to  time,  as  it  shall 
be  demanded.  5.  No  drivers  of  wagons,  or  persons 
taking  care  of  the  hired  horses,  are  on  any  account  to  be 
called  upon  to  do  the  duty  of  soldiers,  or  be  otherwise 
employed  than  in  conducting  or  taking  care  of  their 

SOcarriages  or  horses.  6.  All  oats,  Indian  corn,  or  other 
forage  that  wagons  or  horses  bring  to  the  camp,  more  than 
is  necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  the  horses,  is  to  be  taken 
for  the  use  of  the  army,  and  a  reasonable  price  paid  for 
the  same. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  155 

"  Note. —  My  son,  William  Franklin,  is  empowered  to 
enter  into  like  contracts  with  any  person  in  Cumberland 
county.  "  B.  FRANKLIN/' 

"  To  the  inhabitants  of  the  Counties  of  Lancaster, 

York  and  Cumberland.  5 

"  Friends  and  Countrymen, 

"  Being  occasionally  at  the  camp  at  Frederic  a  few 
days  since,  I  found  the  general  and  officers  extremely 
exasperated  on  account  of  their  not  being  supplied  with 
horses  and  carriages,  which  had  been  expected  from  thislO 
province,  as  most  able  to  furnish  them;  but,  through  the 
dissensions  between  our  governor  and  Assembly,  money 
had  not  been  provided,  nor  any  steps  taken  for  that 
purpose. 

"  It  was  proposed  to  send  an  armed  force  immediately  15 
into  these  counties,  to  seize  as  many  of  the  best  carriages 
and  horses  as  should  be  wanted,   and  compel  as  many 
persons  into  the  service  as  would  be  necessary  to  drive  and 
take  care  of  them. 

"  I  apprehended   that  the  progress  of  British  soldiers20 
through    these   counties   on   such   an   occasion,   especially 
considering   the   temper   they   are   in,    and    their   resent 
ment    against    us,    would    be   attended    with   many    and 
great   inconveniences   to    the    inhabitants,    and    therefore 
more   willingly   took    the   trouble    of   trying    first   what 2 5 
might  be  done  by  fair  and  equitable  means.     The  people 
of  these  back  counties  have  lately  complained  to  the  As 
sembly  that  a  sufficient  currency  was  wanting;  you  have 
an  opportunity  of  receiving  and  dividing  among  you  a 
very  considerable  sum;  for,  if  the  service  of  this  expedi-30 
tion  should  continue,  as  it  is  more  than  probable  it  will, 
for  one  hundred  and  twenty  days,  the  hire  of  these  wagons 
and  horses  will   amount  to  upward  of  thirty  thousand 


156  Franklin's  Autobiography 

pounds,  which  will  be  paid  you  in  silver  and  gold  of  the 
king's  money. 

"  The  service  will  be  light  and  easy,  for  the  army  will 
scarce  march  above  twelve  miles  per  day,  and  the  wagons 
Band  baggage-horses,  as  they  carry  those  things  that  are 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  welfare  of  the  army,  must 
march  with  the  army,  and  no  faster;  and  are,  for  the 
army's  sake,  always  placed  where  they  can  be  most  secure, 
whether  in  a  march  or  in  a  camp. 

10  "  If  you  are  really,  as  I  believe  you  are,  good  and 
loyal  subjects  to  his  majesty,  you  may  now  do  a  most 
acceptable  service,  and  make  it  easy  to  yourselves;  for 
three  or  four  of  such  as  cannot  separately  spare  from  the 
business  of  their  plantations  a  wagon  and  four  horses  and 

15a  driver,  may  do  it  together,  one  furnishing  the  wagon, 
another  one  or  two  horses,  and  another  the  driver,  and 
divide  the  pay  proportionably  between  you;  but  if  you  do 
not  this  service  to  your  king  and  country  voluntarily, 
when  such  good  pay  and  reasonable  terms  are  offered  to 

20you,  your  loyalty  will  be  strongly  suspected.  The  king's 
business  must  be  done;  so  many  brave  troops,  come  so 
far  for  your  defense,  must  not  stand  idle  through  your 
backwardness  to  do  what  may  be  reasonably  expected 
from  you;  wagons  and  horses  must  be  had;  violent 

25measures  will  probably  be  used,  and  you  will  be  left  to 
seek  for  a  recompense  where  you  can  find  it,  and  your 
case,  perhaps,  be  little  pitied  or  regarded. 

"  I  have  no  particular  interest  in  this  affair,  as,  except 
the  satisfaction  of  endeavoring  to  do  good,  I  shall  have 

SOonly  my  labor  for  my  pains.  If  this  method  of  obtain 
ing  the  wagons  and  horses  is  not  likely  to  succeed,  I  am 
obliged  to  send  word  to  the  general  in  fourteen  days; 
and  I  suppose  Sir  John  St.  Clair,  the  hussar,  with  a  body 
of  soldiers,  will  immediately  enter  the  province  for  the 


Franklin's  Autobiography  157 

purpose,  which  I  shall  be  sorry  to  hear,  because  I  am 
very  sincerely  and  truly  your  friend  and  well-wisher, 

"  B.  FRANKLIN/' 

I  received  of  the  general  about  eight  hundred  pounds, 
to  be  disbursed  in  advance-money  to  the  wagon  owners, 5 
etc.;  but  that  sum  being  insufficient,  I  advanced  upward 
of  two  hundred  pounds  more,  and  in  two  weeks  the  one 
hundred  and  fifty  wagons,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
nine  carrying  horses,  were  on  their  march  for  the  camp. 
The  advertisement  promised  payment  according  to  the  10 
valuation,  in  case  any  wagon  or  horse  should  be  lost. 
The  owners,  however,  alleging  they  did  not  know  General 
Braddock,  or  what  dependence  might  be  had  on  his 
promise,  insisted  on  my  bond  for  the  performance,  which 
I  accordingly  gave  them.  15 

While  I  was  at  the  camp,  supping  one  evening  with  the 
officers  of  Colonel  Dunbar's  regiment  he  represented  to 
me  his  concern  for  the  subalterns,  who,  he  said,  were 
generally  not  in  affluence  and  could  ill  afford,  in  this 
dear  country,  to  lay  in  the  stores  that  might  be  necessary  20 
in  so  long  a  march,  through  a  wilderness,  where  nothing 
was  to  be  purchased.  I  commiserated  their  case,  and 
resolved  to  endeavor  procuring  them  some  relief.  I 
said  nothing,  however,  to  him  of  my  intention,  but 
wrote  the  next  morning  to  the  committee  of  the  Assem-25 
bly,  who  had  the  disposition  of  some  public  money, 
warmly  recommending  the  case  of  these  officers  to  their 
consideration,  and  proposing  that  a  present  should  be 
sent  them  of  necessaries  and  refreshments.  My  son, 
who  had  some  experience  of  a  camp  life,  and  of  its  wants, 30 
drew  up  a  list  for  me,  which  I  enclosed  in  my  letter. 
The  committee  approved,  and  used  such  diligence  that, 
conducted  by  my  son,  the  stores  arrived  at  the  camp  as 


158  Franklin's  Autobiography 

soon  as  the  wagons.     They  consisted  of  twenty  parcels, 
each  containing 

6  Ibs.  loaf  sugar.  i  Gloucester  cheese. 

6  Ibs.  good  Muscovado  do.  i  keg  containing  20  Ibs.  good 
5  i  Ib.  good  green  tea.  butter. 

i  Ib.  good  bohea  do.  2  doz.  old  Madeira  wine. 

6  Ibs.  good  ground  coffee.  2  gallons  Jamaica  spirits. 

6  Ibs.  chocolate.  i  bottle  flour  of  mustard. 

1-2  cvvt.  best  white  biscuit.  2  well-cured   hams. 

10  1-2  Ib.  pepper.  1-2  dozen  dried  tongues, 
i  quart  best  white  wine  vine-     6  Ibs.  rice, 

gar.  6  Ibs.  raisins. 

These  twenty  parcels,  well  packed,  were  placed  on  as 
many  horses,  each  parcel,  with  the  horse,  being  intended 

15as  a  present  for  one  officer.  They  were  very  thankfully 
received,  and  the  kindness  acknowledged  by  letters  to  me 
from  the  colonels  of  both  regiments,  in  the  most  grateful 
terms.  The  general,  too,  was  highly  satisfied  with  my 
conduct  in  procuring  him  the  wagons,  etc.,  and  readily 

20paid  my  account  of  disbursements,  thanking  me  repeat 
edly,  and  requesting  my  farther  assistance  in  sending  pro 
visions  after  him.  I  undertook  this  also,  and  was  busily 
employed  in  it  till  we  heard  of  his  defeat,  advanc 
ing  for  the  service  of  my  own  money,  upwards  of  one 

25thousand  pounds  sterling,  of  which  I  sent  him  an  ac 
count.  It  came  to  his  hands,  luckily  for  me,  a  few  days 
before  the  battle,  and  he  returned  me  immediately  an 
order  on  the  paymaster  for  the  round  sum  of  one  thousand 
pounds,  leaving  the  remainder  to  the  next  account.  I 

SOconsider  this  payment  as  good  luck,  having  never  been 

able  to  obtain  that  remainder,  of  which  more  hereafter. 

This  general  was,  I   think,  a  brave  man,  and  might 

probably  have  made  a  figure  as  a  good  officer  in  some 

European  war.     But  he  had   too   much  self-confidence, 


Franklin's  Autobiography  159 

too  high  an  opinion  of  the  validity  of  regular  troops,  and 
too  mean  a  one  of  both  Americans  and  Indians.  George 
Croghan,  our  Indian  interpreter,  joined  him  on  his  march 
with  one  hundred  of  those  people,  who  might  have  been 
of  great  use  to  his  army  as  guides,  scouts,  etc.,  if  he  had5 
treated  them  kindly;  but  he  slighted  and  neglected  them, 
and  they  gradually  left  him. 

In  conversation  with  him  one  day,  he  was  giving  me 
some  account  of  his  intended  progress.  "  After  taking 
Fort  Duquesne,"  says  he,  "  I  am  to  proceed  to  Niagara  ;10 
and,  having  taken  that,  to  Frontenac,  if  the  season  will 
allow  time;  and  I  suppose  it  will,  for  Duquesne  can 
hardly  detain  me  above  three  or  four  days;  and  then  I 
see  nothing  that  can  obstruct  my  march  to  Niagara." 
Having  before  revolved  in  my  mind  the  long  line  his  armylS 
must  make  in  their  march  by  a  very  narrow  road,  to 
be  cut  for  them  through  the  woods  and  bushes,  and  also 
what  I  had  read  of  a  former  defeat  of  fifteen  hundred 
French,  who  invaded  the  Iroquois  country,  I  had  con 
ceived  some  doubts  and  some  fears  for  the  event  of  the20 
campaign.  But  I  ventured  only  to  say,  "  To  be  sure,  sir, 
if  you  arrive  well  before  Duquesne,  with  these  fine  troops, 
so  well  provided  with  artillery,  that  place  not  yet  com 
pletely  fortified,  and  as  we  hear  with  no  very  strong  garri 
son,  can  probably  make  but  a  short  resistance.  The  only25 
danger  I  apprehend  of  obstruction  to  your  march  is  from 
ambuscades  of  Indians,  who,  by  constant  practice,  are 
dexterous  in  laying  and  executing  them;  and  the  slender 
line,  near  four  miles  long,  which  your  army  must  make, 
may  expose  it  to  be  attacked  by  surprise  in  its  flanks,  and 30 
to  be  cut  like  a  thread  into  several  pieces,  which,  from 
their  distance,  cannot  come  up  in  time  to  support  each 
other." 

He  smiled  at  my  ignorance,  and  replied,  "  These  sav- 


160  Franklin's  Autobiography 

ages  may,  indeed,  be  a  formidable  enemy  to  your  raw 
American  militia,  but  upon  the  king's  regular  and  dis 
ciplined  troops,  sir-,  it  is  impossible  they  should  make  any 
impression."  I  was  conscious  of  an  impropriety  in  my 
Bdisputing  with  a  military  man  in  matters  of  his  profession, 
and  said  no  more.  The  enemy,  however,  did  not  take 
the  advantage  of  his  army  which  I  apprehended  its  long 
line  of  march  exposed  it  to,  but  let  it  advance  without 
interruption  till  within  nine  miles  of  the  place;  and  then, 

lOwhen  more  in  a  body  (for  it  had  just  passed  a  river,  where 
the  front  had  halted  till  all  were  come  over),  and  in  a 
more  open  part  of  the  woods  than  any  it  had  passed, 
attacked  its  advanced  guard  by  heavy  fire  from  behind 
trees  and  bushes,  which  was  the  first  intelligence  the 

15general  had  of  an  enemy's  being  near  him.  This  guard 
being  disordered,  the  general  hurried  the  troops  up  to 
their  assistance,  which  was  done  in  great  confusion, 
through  wagons,  baggage,  and  cattle;  and  presently  the 
fire  came  upon  their  flank :  the  officers,  being  on  horseback, 

20were  more  easily  distinguished,  picked  out  as  marks,  and 
fell  very  fast;  and  the  soldiers  were  crowded  together  in 
a  huddle,  having  or  hearing  no  orders,  and  standing  to  be 
shot  at  till  two-thirds  of  them  were  killed ;  and  then,  being 
seized  with  a  panic,  the  whole  fled  with  precipitation. 

25  The  wagoners  took  each  a  horse  out  of  his  team  and 
scampered;  their  example  was  immediately  followed  by 
others;  so  that  all  the  wagons,  provisions,  artillery,  and 
stores  were  left  to  the  enemy.  The  general,  being 
wounded,  was  brought  off  with  difficulty;  his  secretary, 

SOMr.  Shirley,  was  killed  by  his  side ;  and  out  of  eighty-six 
officers,  sixty-three  were  killed  or  wounded,  and  seven 
hundred  and  fourteen  men  killed  out  of  eleven  hundred. 
These  eleven  hundred  had  been  picked  men  from  the 
whole  army;  the  rest  had  been  left  behind  with  Colonel 


Franklin's  Autobiography  161 

Dunbar,  who  was  to  follow  with  the  heavier  part  of  the 
stores,  provisions,  and  baggage.  The  flyers,  not  being 
pursued,  arrived  at  Dunbar's  camp,  and  the  panic  they 
brought  with  them  instantly  seized  him  and  all  his 
people;  and,  though  he  had  now  above  one  thousand  men, 5 
and  the  enemy  who  had  beaten  Braddock  did  not  at 
most  exceed  four  hundred  Indians  and  French  together, 
instead  of  proceeding,  and  endeavoring  to  recover  some 
of  the  lost  honor,  he  ordered  all  the  stores,  ammunition, 
etc.,  to  be  destroyed,  that  he  might  have  more  horses  to  10 
assist  his  flight  towards  the  settlements,  and  less  lumber 
to  remove.  He  was  there  met  with  requests  from  the 
governors  of  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania,  that 
he  would  post  his  troops  on  the  frontiers,  so  as  to  afford 
some  protection  to  the  inhabitants;  but  he  continued  hislS 
hasty  march  through  all  the  country,  not  thinking  him 
self  safe  till  he  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  where  the  inhabit 
ants  could  protect  him.  This  whole  transaction  gave  us 
Americans  the  first  suspicion  that  our  exalted  ideas  of 
the  prowess  of  British  regulars  had  not  been  well  founded. 20 

In  their  first  march,  too,  from  their  landing  till  they  got 
beyond  the  settlements,  they  had  plundered  and  stripped 
the  inhabitants,  totally  ruining  some  poor  families,  besides 
insulting,  abusing,  and  confining  the  people  if  they  remon 
strated.  This  was  enough  to  put  us  out  of  conceit  of  such  25 
defenders,  if  we  had  really  wanted  any.  How  different 
was  the  conduct  of  our  French  friends  in  1781,  who, 
during  a  march  through  the  most  inhabited  part  of  our 
country  from  Rhode  Island  to  Virginia,  near  seven  hun 
dred  miles,  occasioned  not  the  smallest  complaint  for  theSO 
loss  of  a  pig,  a  chicken,  or  even  an  apple. 

Captain  Orme,  who  was  one  of  the  general's  aids-de 
camp,  and,  being  grievously  wounded,  was  brought  off 
with  him,  and  continued  with  him  to  his  death,  which 


1 62  Franklin's  Autobiography 

happened  in  a  few  days,  told  me  that  he  was  totally  silent 
all  the  first  day,  and  at  night  only  said,  "  Who  would 
have  thought  it?  "  That  he  was  silent  again  the  follow 
ing  day,  saying  only  at  last,  "  We  shall  better  know  how 
5/o  deal  with  them  another  time;  "  and  died  in  a  few  min 
utes  after. 

The  secretary's  papers,  with  all  the  general's  orders, 
instructions,  and  correspondence,  falling  into  the  enemy's 
hands,  they  selected  and  translated  into  French  a  number 

lOof  the  articles,  which  they  printed,  to  prove  the  hostile 
intentions  of  the  British  court  before  the  declaration  of 
war.  Among  these  I  saw  some  letters  of  the  general  to 
the  ministry,  speaking  highly  of  the  great  service  I  had 
rendered  the  army,  and  recommending  me  to  their  no- 

15tice.  David  Hume,  too,  who  was  some  years  after  sec 
retary  to  Lord  Hertford,  when  minister  in  France,  and 
afterward  to  General  Conway,  when  secretary  of  state, 
told  me  he  had  seen  among  the  papers  in  that  office, 
letters  from  Braddock  highly  recommending  me.  But, 

2Qthe  expedition  having  been  unfortunate,  my  service,  it 
seems,  was  not  thought  of  much  value,  for  those  recom 
mendations  were  never  of  any  use  to  me. 

As  to  rewards  from  himself,  I  asked  only  one,  which 
was,  that  he  would  give  orders  to  his  officers  not  to  enlist 

25any  more  of  our  bought  servants,  and  that  he  would  dis 
charge  such  as  had  been  already  enlisted.  This  he  readily 
granted,  and  several  were  accordingly  returned  to  their 
masters,  on  my  application.  Dunbar,  when  the  command 
devolved  on  him,  was  not  so  generous.  He  being  at 

SoPhiladelphia,  on  his  retreat,  or  rather  flight,  I  applied  to 
him  for  the  discharge  of  the  servants  of  three  poor  farm 
ers  of  Lancaster  county  that  he  had  enlisted,  reminding 
him  of  the  late  general's  orders  on  that  head.  He  prom 
ised  me  that,  if  the  masters  would  come  to  him  at 


Franklin's  Autobiography  163 

Trenton,  where  he  should  be  in  a  few  days  on  his  march 
to  New  York,  he  would  there  deliver  their  men  to  them. 
They  accordingly  were  at  the  expense  and  trouble  of  go 
ing  to  Trenton,  and  there  he  refused  to  perform  his 
promise,  to  their  great  loss  and  disappointment.  5 

As  soon  as  the  loss  of  the  wagons  and  horses  was 
generally  known,  all  the  owners  came  upon  me  for  the 
valuation  which  I  had  given  bond  to  pay.  Their  de 
mands  gave  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  my  acquainting 
them  that  the  money  was  ready  in  the  paymaster's  hands,  10 
but  that  orders  for  paying  it  must  first  be  obtained 
from  General  Shirley,  and  my  assuring  them  that  I  had 
applied  to  that  general  by  letter;  but,  he  being  at  a 
distance,  an  answer  could  not  soon  be  received,  and  they 
must  have  patience,  all  this  was  not  sufficient  to  satisfy,  15 
and  some  began  to  sue  me.  General  Shirley  at  length 
relieved  me  from  this  terrible  situation  by  appointing 
commissioners  to  examine  the  claims,  and  ordering  pay 
ment.  They  amounted  to  near  twenty  thousand  pound, 
which  to  pay  would  have  ruined  me.  20 

Before  we  had  the  news  of  this  defeat,  the  two  Doc 
tors  Bond  came  to  me  with  a  subscription  paper  for 
raising  money  to  defray  the  expense  of  a  grand  fire 
work,  which  it  was  intended  to  exhibit  at  a  rejoicing 
on  receipt  of  the  news  of  our  taking  Fort  Duquesne.25 
I  looked  grave,  and  said  it  would,  I  thought,  be  time 
enough  to  prepare  for  the  rejoicing  when  we  knew  we 
should  have  occasion  to  rejoice.  They  seemed  surprised 
that  I  did  not  immediately  comply  with  their  proposal. 
"Why,"  says  one  of  them,  "you  surely  don't  supposeSO 
that  the  fort  will  not  be  taken  ?  "  "I  don't  know  that 
it  will  not  be  taken,  but  I  know  that  the  events  of  war 
are  subject  to  great  uncertainty."  I  gave  them  the  rea 
sons  of  my  doubting;  the  subscription  was  dropped,  and 


164  Franklin's  Autobiography 

the  projectors  thereby  missed  the  mortification  they  would 
have  undergone  if  the  firework  had  been  prepared.  Dr. 
Bond,  on  some  other  occasion  afterward,  said  that  he 
did  not  like  Franklin's  forebodings. 

5  Governor  Morris,  who  had  continually  worried  the 
Assembly  with  message  after  message  before  the  defeat 
of  Braddock,  to  beat  them  into  the  making  of  acts  to 
raise  money  for  the  defense  of  the  province,  without 
taxing,  among  others,  the  proprietary  estates,  and  had 

10 rejected  all  their  bills  for  not  having  such  an  exempting 
clause,  now  redoubled  his  attacks  with  more  hope  of 
success,  the  danger  and  necessity  being  greater.  The 
Assembly,  however,  continued  firm,  believing  they  had 
justice  on  their  side,  and  that  it  would  be  giving  up  an 

15 essential  right  if  they  suffered  the  governor  to  amend 
their  money-bills.  In  one  of  the  last,  indeed,  which  was 
for  granting  fifty  thousand  pounds,  his  proposed  amend 
ment  was  only  of  a  single  word.  The  bill  expressed 
"  that  all  estates,  real  and  personal,  were  to  be  taxed, 

20those  of  the  proprietaries  not  excepted."  'His  amend 
ment  was,  for  not  read  only:  a  small,  but  very  material 
alteration.  However,  when  the  news  of  this  disaster 
reached  England,  our  friends  there  whom  we  had  taken 
care  to  furnish  with  all  the  Assembly's  answers  to  the 

2 5 governor's  messages,  raised  a  clamor  against  the  pro 
prietaries  for  their  meanness  and  injustice  in  giving  their 
governor  such  instructions;  some  going  so  far  as  to  say 
that,  by  obstructing  the  defense  of  their  province,  they 
forfeited  their  right  to  it.  They  were  intimidated  by  this, 

30 and  sent  orders  to  their  receiver-general  to  add  five  thou 
sand  pounds  of  their  money  to  whatever  sum  might  be 
given  by  the  Assembly  for  such  purpose. 

This,   being  notified   to   the   House,   was  accepted  in 
lieu  of  their  share  of  a  general  tax,  and  a  new  bill  was 


Franklin's  Autobiography  165 

formed,  with  an  exempting  clause,  which  passed  accord 
ingly.  By  this  act  I  was  appointed  one  of  the  com 
missioners  for  disposing  of  the  money,  sixty  thousand 
pounds.  I  had  been  active  in  modeling  the  bill  and 
procuring  its  passage,  and  had,  at  the  same  time,  drawn 5 
a  bill  for  establishing  and  disciplining  a  voluntary  militia, 
which  I  carried  through  the  House  without  much  diffi 
culty,  as  care  was  taken  in  it  to  leave  the  Quakers  at 
their  liberty.  To  promote  the  association  necessary  to 
form  the  militia,  I  wrote  a  dialogue,  stating  and  answer- 10 
ing  all  the  objections  I  could  think  of  to  such  a  militia, 
which  was  printed,  and  had,  as  I  thought,  great  effect. 

XVII 
FRANKLIN'S  DEFENSE  OF  THE  FRONTIER 

WHILE  the  several  companies  in  the  city  and  country 
were  forming,  and  learning  their  exercise,  the  governor 
prevailed  with  me  to  take  charge  of  our  North-western  15 
frontier,  which  was  infested  by  the  enemy,  and  provide 
for  the  defense  of  the  inhabitants  by  raising  troops  and 
building  a  line  of  forts.  I  undertook  this  military  busi 
ness,  though  I  did  not  conceive  myself  well  qualified 
for  it.  He  gave  me  a  commission  with  full  powers,  and20 
a  parcel  of  blank  commissions  for  officers,  to  be  given 
to  whom  I  thought  fit.  I  had  but  little  difficulty  in  rais 
ing  men,  having  soon  five  hundred  and  sixty  under  my 
command.  My  son,  who  had  in  the  preceding  war  been 
an  officer  in  the  army  raised  against  Canada,  was  my 25 
aid-de-camp,  and  of  great  use  to  me.  The  Indians  had 
burned  Gnadenhut,  a  village  settled  by  the  Moravians, 
and  massacred  the  inhabitants ;  but  the  place  was  thought 
a  good  situation  for  one  of  the  forts. 


1 66  Franklin's  Autobiography 

In  order  to  march  thither,  I  assembled  the  companies 
at  Bethlehem,  the  chief  establishment  of  those  people. 
I  was  surprised  to  find  it  in  so  good  a  posture  of  defense ; 
the  destruction  of  Gnadenhut  had  made  them  apprehend 
5 danger.  The  principal  buildings  were  defended  by  a 
stockade;  they  had  purchased  a  quantity  of  arms  and 
ammunition  from  New  York,  and  had  even  placed  quan 
tities  of  small  paving  stones  between  the  windows  of  their 
high  stone  houses,  for  their  women  to  throw  down  upon 

lOthe  heads  of  any  Indians  that  should  attempt  to  force 
into  them.  The  armed  brethren,  too,  kept  watch,  and 
relieved  as  methodically  as  in  any  garrison  town.  In 
conversation  with  the  bishop,  Spangenberg,  I  mentioned 
this  my  surprise;  for,  knowing  they  had  obtained  an  act 

15of  Parliament  exempting  them  from  military  duties  in  the 
colonies,  I  had  supposed  they  were  conscientiously  scru 
pulous  of  bearing  arms.  He  answered  me  that  it  was  not 
one  of  their  established  principles,  but  that,  at  the  time 
of  their  obtaining  that  act,  it  was  thought  to  be  a  prin- 

20ciple  with  many  of  their  people.  On  this  occasion,  how 
ever,  they,  to  their  surprise,  found  it  adopted  by  but  a 
few.  It  seems  they  were  either  deceived  in  themselves, 
or  deceived  the  Parliament;  but  common  sense,  aided 
by  present  danger,  will  sometimes  be  too  strong  for 

25whimsical  opinions. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  January  when  we  set  out  upon 
this  business  of  building  forts.  I  sent  one  detachment 
toward  the  Minisink,  with  instructions  to  erect  one  for 
the  security  of  that  upper  part  of  the  country,  and 

SOanother  to  the  lower  part,  with  similar  instructions;  and 
I  concluded  to  go  myself  with  the  rest  of  my  force  to 
Gnadenhut,  where  a  fort  was  thought  more  immediately 
necessary.  The  Moravians  procured  me  five  wagons  for 
our  tools,  stores,  baggage,  etc. 


Franklin's  Autobiography  167 

Just  before  we  left  Bethlehem,  eleven  farmers,  who  had 
been  driven  from  their  plantations  by  the  Indians,  came 
to  me  requesting  a  supply  of  firearms,  that  they  might  go 
back  and  fetch  off  their  cattle.  I  gave  them  each  a  gun 
with  suitable  ammunition.  We  had  not  marched  many  5 
miles  before  it  began  to  rain,  and  it  continued  raining  all 
day;  there  were  no  habitations  on  the  road  to  shelter  us, 
till  we  arrived  near  night  at  the  house  of  a  German, 
where,  and  in  his  barn,  we  were  all  huddled  together,  as 
wet  as  water  could  make  us.  It  was  well  we  were  not  10 
attacked  in  our  march,  for  our  arms  were  of  the  most  or 
dinary  sort,  and  our  men  could  not  keep  their  gun  locks 
dry.  The  Indians  are  dexterous  in  contrivances  for  that 
purpose,  which  we  had  not.  They  met  that  day  the 
eleven  poor  farmers  above  mentioned,  and  killed  ten  of  15 
them.  The  one  who  escaped  informed  that  his  and  his 
companions'  guns  would  not  go  off,  the  priming  being 
wet  with  the  rain. 

The  next  day  being  fair,  we  continued  our  march,  and 
arrived  at  the  desolated  Gnadenhut.     There  was  a  saw- 20 
mill  near,  round  which  were  left  several  piles  of  boards, 
with  which  we  soon  hutted  ourselves;  an  operation  the 
more  necessary  at  that  inclement  season,  as  we  had  no 
tents.     Our  first  work  was  to  bury  more  effectually  the 
dead  we  found  there,  who  had  been  half  interred  by  the 25 
country  people. 

The  next  morning  our  fort  was  planned  and  marked 
out,  the  circumference  measuring  four  hundred  and  fifty- 
five  feet,  which  would  require  as  many  palisades  to  be 
made  of  trees,  one  with  another,  of  a  foot  diameter  each. 30 
Our  axes,  of  which  we  had  seventy,  were  immediately 
set  to  work  to  cut  down  trees,  and,  our  men  being  dex 
terous  in  the  use  of  them,  great  dispatch  was  made.  See 
ing  the  trees  fall  so  fast,  I  had  the  curiosity  to  look  at 


1 68  Franklin's  Autobiography 

my  watch  when  two  men  began  to  cut  at  a  pine;  in  six 
minutes  they  had  it  upon  the  ground,  and  I  found  it  of 
fourteen  inches  diameter.  Each  pine  made  three  pal 
isades  of  eighteen  feet  long,  pointed  at  one  end.  While 
5 these  were  preparing,  our  other  men  dug  a  trench  all 
round,  of  three  feet  deep,  in  which  the  palisades  were  to 
be  planted;  and,  our  wagons,  the  bodies  being  taken  off, 
and  the  fore  and  hind  wheels  separated  by  taking  out  the 
pin  which  united  the  two  parts  of  the  perch,  we  had 

lOten  carriages,  with  two  horses  each,  to  bring  the  palisades 
from  the  woods  to  the  spot.  When  they  were  set  up, 
our  carpenters  built  a  stage  of  boards  all  round  within, 
about  six  feet  high,  for  the  men  to  stand  on  when  to  fire 
through  the  loopholes.  We  had  one  swivel  gun,  which 

15we  mounted  on  one  of  the  angles,  and  fired  it  as  soon  as 
fixed,  to  let  the  Indians  know,  if  any  were  within  hearing, 
that  we  had  such  pieces;  and  thus  our  fort,  if  such  a 
magnificent  name  may  be  given  to  so  miserable  a  stock 
ade,  was  finished  in  a  week,  though  it  rained  so  hard 

20every  other  day  that  the  men  could  not  work. 

This  gave  me  occasion  to  observe,  that,  when  men  are 
employed,  they  are  best  contented ;  for  on  the  days  they 
worked  they  were  good-natured  and  cheerful,  and,  with 
the  consciousness  of  having  done  a  good  day's  work,  they 

25spent  the  evening  jollily;  but  on  our  idle  days  they  were 
mutinous  and  quarrelsome,  finding  fault  with  their  pork, 
the  bread,  etc.,  and  in  continual  ill-humor,  which  put  me 
in  mind  of  a  sea-captain,  whose  rule  it  was  to  keep  his 
men  constantly  at  work;  and,  when  his  mate  once  told 

SOhim  that  they  had  done  everything,  and  there  was  nothing 
further  to  employ  them  about,  "  Oh"  says  he,  "  make 
them  scour  the  anchor" 

This  kind  of  fort,  however  contemptible,  is  a  sufficient 
defense  against  Indians,  who  have  no  cannon.  Finding 


Franklin's  Autobiography  169 

ourselves  now  posted  securely,  and  having  a  place  to  re 
treat  to  on  occasion,  we  ventured  out  in  parties  to  scour 
the  adjacent  country.  We  met  with  no  Indians,  but  we 
found  the  places  on  the  neighboring  hills  where  they  had 
lain  to  watch  our  proceedings.  There  was  an  art  in  theirS 
contrivance  of  those  places  that  seems  worth  mention. 
It  being  winter,  a  fire  was  necessary  for  them;  but  a 
common  fire  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  would  by  its 
light  have  discovered  their  position  at  a  distance.  They 
had  therefore  dug  holes  in  the  ground  about  three  feetlO 
diameter,  and  somewhat  deeper;  we  saw  where  they  had 
with  their  hatchets  cut  off  the  charcoal  from  the  sides  of 
burnt  logs  lying  in  the  woods.  With  these  coals  they  had 
made  small  fires  in  the  bottom  of  the  holes,  and  we  ob 
served  among  the  weeds  and  grass  the  prints  of  their  15 
bodies,  made  by  their  lying  all  round,  with  their  legs  hang 
ing  down  in  the  holes  to  keep  their  feet  warm,  which,  with 
them,  is  an  essential  point.  This  kind  of  fire,  so  managed, 
could  not  discover  them,  either  by  its  light,  flame,  sparks, 
or  even  smoke:  it  appeared  that  their  number  was  not 20 
great,  and  it  seems  they  saw  we  were  too  many  to  be 
attacked  by  them  with  prospect  of  advantage. 

We  had  for  our  chaplain  a  zealous  Presbyterian  min 
ister,  Mr.  Beatty,  who  complained  to  me  that  the  men 
did  not  generally  attend  his  prayers  and  exhortations.  2 5 
When  they  enlisted,  they  were  promised,  besides  pay  and 
provisions,  a  gill  of  rum  a  day,  which  was  punctually 
served  out  to  them,  half  in  the  morning,  and  the  other 
half  in  the  evening;  and  I  observed  they  were  as  punctual 
in  attending  to  receive  it;  upon  which  I  said  to  Mr.  Beatty, 30 
"  It  is,  perhaps,  below  the  dignity  of  your  profession  to  act 
as  steward  of  the  rum,  but  if  you  were  to  deal  it  out  and 
only  just  after  prayers,  you  would  have  them  all  about 
you."  He  liked  the  thought,  undertook  the  office,  and, 


170  Franklin's  Autobiography 

with  the  help  of  a  few  hands  to  measure  out  the  liquor, 
executed  it  to  satisfaction,  and  never  were  prayers  more 
generally  and  more  punctually  attended ;  so  that  I  thought 
this  method  preferable  to  the  punishment  inflicted  by  some 
5military  laws  for  non-attendance  on  divine  service. 

I  had  hardly  finished  this  business,  and  got  my  fort  well 
stored  with  provisions,  when  I  received  a  letter  from  the 
governor,  acquainting  me  that  he  had  called  the  Assembly, 
and  wished  my  attendance  there,  if  the  posture  of  affairs 

lOon  the  frontiers  was  such  that  my  remaining  there  was  no 
longer  necessary.  My  friends,  too,  of  the  Assembly, 
pressing  me  by  their  letters  to  be,  if  possible,  at  the  meet 
ing,  and  my  three  intended  forts  being  now  completed,  and 
the  inhabitants  contented  to  remain  on  their  farms  under 

15 that  protection,  I  resolved  to  return;  the  more  willingly, 
as  a  New  England  officer,  Colonel  Clapham,  experienced 
in  Indian  war,  being  on  a  visit  to  our  establishment,  con 
sented  to  accept  the  command.  I  gave  him  a  commis 
sion,  and  parading  the  garrison,  had  it  read  before  them, 

20and  introduced  him  to  them  as  an  officer  who,  from  his 
skill  in  military  affairs,  was  much  more  fit  to  command 
them  than  myself;  and,  giving  them  a  little  exhortation, 
took  my  leave.  I  was  escorted  as  far  as  Bethlehem, 
where  I  rested  a  few  days  to  recover  from  the  fatigue  I 

25had  undergone.  The  first  night,  being  in  a  good  bed, 
I  could  hardly  sleep,  it  was  so  different  from  my  hard  lodg 
ing  on  the  floor  of  our  hut  at  Gnaden  wrapped  only  in 
a  blanket  or  two. 

While  at  Bethlehem,  I  inquired  a  little  into  the  practice 

30of  the  Moravians;  some  of  them  had  accompanied  me, 
and  all  were  very  kind  to  me.  I  found  they  worked  for 
a  common  stock,  ate  at  common  tables,  and  slept  in  com 
mon  dormitories,  great  numbers  together.  In  the  dor 
mitories  I  observed  loopholes,  at  certain  distances  all  along 


Franklin's  Autobiography  171 

just  under  the  ceiling,  which  I  thought  judiciously  placed 
for  change  of  air.  I  was  at  their  church,  where  I  was 
entertained  with  good  music,  the  organ  being  accompanied 
with  violins,  hautboys,  flutes,  clarinets,  etc.  I  under 
stood  that  their  sermons  were  not  usually  preached  to 5 
mixed  congregations  of  men,  women,  and  children,  as 
is  our  common  practice,  but  that  they  assembled  some 
times  the  married  men,  at  other  times  their  wives,  then 
the  young  men,  the  young  women,  and  the  little  chil 
dren,  each  division  by  itself.  The  sermon  I  heard  was  10 
to  the  latter,  who  came  in  and  were  placed  in  rows  on 
benches;  the  boys  under  the  conduct  of  a  young  man,  their 
tutor,  and  the  girls  conducted  by  a  young  woman.  The 
discourse  seemed  well  adapted  to  their  capacities,  and  was 
delivered  in  a  pleasing,  familiar  manner,  coaxing  them,  as  15 
it  were,  to  be  good.  They  behaved  very  orderly,  but 
looked  pale  and  unhealthy,  which  made  me  suspect  they 
were  kept  too  much  within  doors,  or  not  allowed  sufficient 
exercise. 

I  inquired  concerning  the  Moravian  marriages,  whether 20 
the  report  was  true  that  they  were  by  lot.     I  was  told 
that  lots  were  used  only  in  particular  cases;  that  gen 
erally,  when  a  young  man  found  himself  disposed  to  marry, 
he  informed  the  elders  of  his  class,  who  consulted  the 
elder  ladies  that  governed  the  young  women.     As  these 25 
elders  of  the  different  sexes  were  well  acquainted  with 
the  tempers  and   dispositions  of  their  respective  pupils, 
they  could  best  judge  what  matches  were  suitable,  and 
their   judgments   were   generally   acquiesced    in ;   but   if, 
for  example,  it  should  happen  that  two  or  three  young 30 
women  were  found  to  be  equally  proper  for  the  young 
man,  the  lot  was  then  recurred  to.     I  objected,   if  the 
matches  are  not  made  by  the  mutual  choice  of  the  parties, 
some  of  them  may  chance  to  be  very  unhappy.     "  And  so 


172  Franklin's  Autobiography 

they  may,"  answered  my  informer,  "  if  you  let  the  parties 

choose  for  themselves ;  "  which,  indeed,  I  could  not  deny. 

Being  returned  to  Philadelphia,  I  found  the  association 

went  on  swimmingly,  the  inhabitants  that  were  not  Quak- 

5ers  having  pretty  generally  come  into  it,  formed  themselves 

into  companies,  and  chose  their  captains,  lieutenants,  and 

ensigns,  according  to  the  new  law.     Dr.  B.  visited  me, 

and  gave  me  an  account  of  the  pains  he  had  taken  to 

spread  a  general   good  liking  to  the  law,   and  ascribed 

lOmuch  to  those  endeavors.  I  had  had  the  vanity  to  as- 
scribe  all  to  my  Dialogue;  however,  not  knowing  but 
that  he  might  be  in  the  right,  I  let  him  enjoy  his  opinion, 
which  I  take  to  be  generally  the  best  way  in  such  cases. 
The  officers,  meeting,  chose  me  to  be  colonel  of  the  regi- 

15ment,  which  I  this  time  accepted.  I  forget  how  many 
companies  we  had,  but  we  paraded  about  twelve  hundred 
well-looking  men,  with  a  company  of  artillery,  who  had 
been  furnished  with  six  brass  field-pieces,  which  they  had 
become  so  expert  in  the  use  of  as  to  fire  twelve  times  in 

20a  minute.  The  first  time  I  reviewed  my  regiment  they 
accompanied  me  to  my  house,  and  would  salute  me  with 
some  rounds  fired  before  my  door,  which  shook  down 
and  broke  several  glasses  of  my  electrical  apparatus.  And 
my  new  honor  proved  not  much  less  brittle;  for  all  our 

25commissions  were  soon  after  broken  by  a  repeal  of  the 
law  in  England. 

During  this  short  time  of  my  colonelship,  being  about 
to  set  out  on  a  journey  to  Virginia,  the  officers  of  my  regi 
ment  took  it  into  their  heads  that  it  would  be  proper  for 

SOthem  to  escort  me  out  of  town,  as  far  as  the  Lower  Ferry. 
Just  as  I  was  getting  on  horseback  they  came  to  my  door, 
between  thirty  and  forty,  mounted,  and  all  in  their  uni 
forms.  I  had  not  been  previously  acquainted  with  the 
project,  or  I  should  have  prevented  it.  being  naturally 


Franklin's  Autobiography  173 

averse  to  the  assuming  of  state  on  any  occasion;  and  I 
was  a  good  deal  chagrined  at  their  appearance,  as  I  could 
not  avoid  their  accompanying  me.  What  made  it  worse 
was,  that,  as  soon  as  we  began  to  move,  they  drew  their 
swords  and  rode  with  them  naked  all  the  way.  Some- 5 
body  wrote  an  account  of  this  to  the  proprietor,  and  it 
gave  him  great  offense.  No  such  honor  had  been  paid 
him  when  in  the  province,  nor  to  any  of  his  governors; 
and  he  said  it  was  only  proper  to  princes  of  the  blood 
royal,  which  may  be  true  for  aught  I  know,  who  was,  and  10 
still  am,  ignorant  of  the  etiquette  in  such  cases. 

This  silly  affair,  however,  greatly  increased  his  rancor 
against  me,  which  was  before  not  a  little,  on  account  of 
my  conduct  in  the  Assembly  respecting  the  exemption  of 
his  estate  from  taxation,  which  I  had  always  opposed  very  15 
warmly,  and  not  without  severe  reflections  on  his  mean 
ness  and  injustice  of  contending  for  it.     He  accused  me 
to  the  ministry  as  being  the  great  obstacle  to  the  King's 
service,  preventing,  by  my  influence  in  the   House,   the 
proper  form  of  the  bills  for  raising  money,  and  he  in- 20 
stanced  this  parade  with  my  officers  as  a  proof  of  my 
having  an  intention  to  take  the  government  of  the  prov 
ince  out  of  his  hands  by  force.     He  also  applied  to  Sir 
Everard  Fawkener,  the  postmaster-general,  to  deprive  me 
of  my  office;  but  it  had  no  other  effect  than  to  procure25 
from  Sir  Everard  a  gentle  admonition. 

Notwithstanding  the  continual  wrangle  between  the 
governor  and  the  House,  in  which  I,  as  a  member,  had 
so  large  a  share,  there  still  subsisted  a  civil  intercourse  be 
tween  that  gentleman  and  myself,  and  we  never  had  anySO 
personal  difference.  I  have  sometimes  since  thought  that 
his  little  or  no  resentment  against  me,  for  the  answers  it 
was  known  I  drew  up  to  his  messages,  might  be  the  effect  of 
professional  habit,  and  that,  being  bred  a  lawyer,  he 


174  Franklin's  Autobiography 

might  consider  us  both  as  merely  advocates  for  contend 
ing  clients  in  a  suit,  he  for  the  proprietaries  and  I  for  the 
Assembly.  He  would,  therefore,  sometimes  call  in  a 
friendly  way  to  advise  with  me  on  difficult  points,  and 
Ssometimes,  though  not  often,  take  my  advice. 

We  acted  in  concert  to  supply  Braddock's  army  with 
provisions;  and,  when  the  shocking  news  arrived  of  his 
defeat,  the  governor  sent  in  haste  for  me,  to  consult  with 
him  on  measures  for  preventing  the  desertion  of  the  back 

lOcounties.  I  forget  now  the  advice  I  gave;  but  I  think 
it  was,  that  Dunbar  should  be  written  to,  and  prevailed 
with,  if  possible,  to  post  his  troops  on  the  frontiers  for 
their  protection,  till,  'by  reinforcements  from  the  colonies, 
he  might  be  able  to  proceed  on  the  expedition.  And, 

loafter  my  return  from  the  frontier,  he  would  have  had 
me  undertake  the  conduct  of  such  an  expedition  with 
provincial  troops,  for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Duquesne, 
Dunbar  and  his  men  being  otherwise  employed;  and  he 
proposed  to  commission  me  as  general.  I  had  not  so 

20good  an  opinion  of  my  military  abilities  as  he  professed  to 
have,  and  I  believe  his  professions  must  have  exceeded 
his  real  sentiments;  but  probably  he  might  think  that 
my  popularity  would  facilitate  the  raising  of  the  men,  and 
my  influence  in  Assembly,  the  grant  of  money  to  pay 

25them,  and  that,  perhaps,  without  taxing  the  proprietary 
estate.  Finding  me  not  so  forward  to  engage  as  he  ex 
pected,  the  project  was  dropped,  and  he  soon  after  left 
the  government,  being  superseded  by  Captain  Denny. 

XVIII 
SCIENTIFIC  EXPERIMENTS 

BEFORE  I  proceed  in  relating  the  part  I  had  in  public 
soaffairs  under  this  new  governor's  administration,  it  may 


Franklin's  Autobiography  175 

not  be  amiss  here  to  give  some  account  of  the  rise  and 
progress  of  my  philosophical  reputation. 

In  1 746,  being  at  Boston,  I  met  there  with  a  Dr.  Spence, 
who  was  lately  arrived  from  Scotland,  and  showed  me 
some  electric  experiments.     They  were  imperfectly  per-5 
formed,  as  he  was  not  very  expert;  but,  being  on  a  subject 
quite  new  to  me,  they  equally  surprised  and  pleased  me. 
Soon  after  my  return  to  Philadelphia,  our  library  company 
received  from  Mr.  P.  Collinson,  Fellow  of  the  Royal  So 
ciety  of  London,  a  present  of  a  glass  tube,  with  some  ac-10 
count  of  the  use  of  it  in  making  such  experiments.     I  ea 
gerly  seized  the  opportunity  of  repeating  what  I  had  seen  at 
Boston ;  and,  by  much  practice,  acquired  great  readiness 
in  performing  those,  also,  which  we  had  an  account  of 
from   England,   adding  a  number  of   new  ones.     I   say!5 
much  practice,   for  my  house  was  continually   full,   for 
some  time,  with  people  who  came  to  see  these  new  wonders. 

To  divide  a  little  this  incumbrance  among  my.  friends, 
I  caused  a  number  of  similar  tubes  to  be  blown  at  our 
glass-house,  with  which  they  furnished  themselves,  so  that 20 
we  had  at  length  several  performers.  Among  these,  the 
principal  was  Mr.  Kinnersley,  an  ingenious  neighbor,  who, 
being  out  of  business,  I  encouraged  to  undertake  showing 
the  experiments  for  money,  and  drew  up  for  him  two 
lectures,  in  which  the  experiments  were  ranged  in  such  2  5 
order,  and  accompanied  with  such  explanations  in  such 
method,  as  that  the  foregoing  should  assist  in  compre 
hending  the  following.  He  procured  an  elegant  appa 
ratus  for  the  purpose,  in  which  all  the  little  machines 
that  I  had  roughly  made  for  myself  were  nicely  formed 30 
by  instrument-makers.  His  lectures  were  well  attended, 
and  gave  great  satisfaction ;  and  after  some  time  he  went 
through  the  colonies,  exhibiting  them  in  every  capital 
town,  and  picked  up  some  money.  In  the  West  India 


176  Franklin's  Autobiography 

islands,    indeed,    it   was  with    difficulty   the   experiments 
could  be  made,  from  the  general  moisture  of  the  air. 

Obliged  as  we  were  to  Mr.  Collinson  for  his  present  of 
the  tube,  etc.,  I  thought  it  right  he  should  be  informed  of 
5our  success  in  using  it,  and  wrote  him  several  letters  con 
taining  accounts  of  our  experiments.  He  got  them  read 
in  the  Royal  Society,  where  they  were  not  at  first  thought 
worth  so  much  notice  as  to  be  printed  in  their  Transac 
tions.  One  paper,  which  I  wrote  for  Mr.  Kinnersley,  on 

lOthe  sameness  of  lightning  with  electricity,  I  sent  to  Dr. 
Mitchel,  an  acquaintance  of  mine,  and  one  of  the  mem 
bers  also  of  that  society,  who  wrote  me  word  that  it  had 
been  read,  but  was  laughed  at  by  the  connoisseurs.  The 
papers,  however,  being  shown  to  Dr.  Fothergill,  he  thought 

15them  of  too  much  value  to  be  stifled,  and  advised  the 
printing  of  them.  Mr.  Collinson  then  gave  them  to  Cave 
for  publication  in  his  Gentleman  s  Magazine;  but  he 
chose  to  print  them  separately  in  a  pamphlet,  and  Dr. 
Fothergill  wrote  the  preface.  Cave,  it  seems,  judged 

20rightly  for  his  profit,  for  by  the  additions  that  arrived 
afterward,  they  swelled  to  a  quarto  volume,  which  has 
had  five  editions,  and  cost  him  nothing  for  copy-money. 

It  was,  however,  some  time  before  those  papers  were 
much  taken  notice  of  in  England.     A  copy  of  them  hap- 

25pening  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Count  de  Buffon,  a 
philosopher  deservedly  of  great  reputation  in  France,  and, 
indeed,  all  over  Europe,  he  prevailed  with  M.  Dalibard 
to  translate  them  into  French,  and  they  were  printed  at 
Paris.  The  publication  offended  the  Abbe  Nollet,  pre- 

SOceptor  in  Natural  Philosophy  to  the  royal  family,  and 
an  able  experimenter,  who  had  formed  and  published  a 
theory  of  electricity,  which  then  had  the  general  vogue. 
He  could  not  at  first  believe  that  such  a  work  came  from 
America,  and  said  it  must  have  been  fabricated  by  his 


Franklin's  Autobiography  177 

enemies  at  Paris,  to  decry  his  system.  Afterwards,  hav 
ing  been  assured  that  there  really  existed  such  a  person 
as  Franklin  at  Philadelphia,  which  he  had  doubted,  he 
wrote  and  published  a  volume  of  Letters,  chiefly  addressed 
to  me,  defending  his  theory,  and  denying  the  verity  of  my5 
experiments,  and  of  the  positions  deduced  from  them. 

I  once  purposed  answering  the  abbe,  and  actually  began 
the  answer;  but,  on  consideration  that  my  writings  con 
tained  a  description  of  experiments  which  anyone  might 
repeat  and  verify,  and  if  not  to  be  verified,  could  not  be  10 
defended ;  or  of  observations  offered  as  conjectures,  and 
not  delivered  dogmatically,  therefore  not  laying  me 
under  any  obligation  to  defend  them;  and  reflecting  that 
a  dispute  between  two  persons,  writing  in  different  lan 
guages,  might  be  lengthened  greatly  by  mistranslations,  and  15 
thence  misconceptions  of  one  another's  meaning,  much 
of  one  of  the  abbe's  letters  being  founded  on  an  error  in 
the  translation,  I  concluded  to  let  my  papers  shift  for 
themselves,  believing  it  was  better  to  spend  what  time  I 
could  spare  from  public  business  in  making  new  experi-20 
ments,  than  in  disputing  about  those  already  made.  I 
therefore  never  answered  M.  Nollet,  and  the  event  gave 
me  no  cause  to  repent  my  silence;  for  my  friend  M.  le 
Roy,  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences,  took  up  my  cause 
and  refuted  him;  my  book  was  translated  into  the  Italian, 25 
German,  and  Latin  languages;  and  the  doctrine  it  con 
tained  was  by  degrees  universally  adopted  by  the  philoso 
phers  of  Europe,  in  preference  to  that  of  the  abbe;  so 
that  he  lived  to  see  himself  the  last  of  his  sect,  except 

Monsieur  B ,  of  Paris,  his  eleve  and  immediate  dis-30 

ciple. 

What  gave  my  book  the  more  sudden  and  general 
celebrity,  was  the  success  of  one  of  its  proposed  experi 
ments,  made  by  Messrs.  Dalibard  and  De  Lor  at  Marly, 


178  Franklin's  Autobiography 

for  drawing  lightning  from  the  clouds.  This  engaged 
the  public  attention  everywhere.  M.  de  Lor,  who  had 
an  apparatus  for  experimental  philosophy,  and  lectured 
in  that  branch  of  science,  undertook  to  repeat  what  he 
Scalled  the  Philadelphia  Experiments;  and,  after  they  were 
performed  before  the  king  and  court,  all  the  curious  of 
Paris  flocked  to  see  them.  I  will  not  swell  this  narrative 
with  an  account  of  that  capital  experiment,  nor  of  the 
infinite  pleasure  I  received  in  the  success  of  a  similar  one 

10 1  made  soon  after  with  a  kite  at  Philadelphia,  as  both  are 
to  be  found  in  the  histories  of  electricity. 

Dr.  Wright,  an  English  physician,  when  at  Paris,  wrote 
to  a  friend,  who  was  of  the  Royal  Society,  an  account  of 
the  high  esteem  my  experiments  were  in  among  the  learned 

15abroad,  and  of  their  wonder  that  my  writings  had  been 
so  little  noticed  in  England.  The  society,  on  this,  re 
sumed  the  consideration  of  the  letters  that  had  been  read 
to  them ;  and  the  celebrated  Dr.  Watson  drew  up  a  sum 
mary  account  of  them,  and  of  all  I  had  afterwards  sent 

20to  England  on  the  subject,  which  he  accompanied  with 
some  praise  of  the  writer.  This  summary  was  then 
printed  in  their  Transactions;  and  some  members  of  the 
society  in  London,  particularly  the  very  ingenious  Mr. 
Canton,  having  verified  the  experiment  of  procuring  light- 

25ning  from  the  clouds  by  a  pointed  rod,  and  acquainting 
them  with  the  success,  they  soon  made  me  more  than 
amends  for  the  slight  with  which  they  had  before  treated 
me.  Without  my  having  made  any  application  for  that 
honor,  they  chose  me  a  member,  and  voted  that  I  should  be 

SOexcused  the  customary  payments,  which  would  have 
amounted  to  twenty-five  guineas;  and  ever  since  have 
given  me  their  Transactions  gratis.  They  also  presented 
me  with  the  gold  medal  of  Sir  Godfrey  Copley  for  the 
year  1753,  the  delivery  of  which  was  accompanied  by  a 


Franklin's  Autobiography  179 

very  handsome  speech  of  the  president,  Lord  Macclesfield, 
wherein  I  was  highly  honored. 


XIX 
AGENT  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  IN  LONDON 

OUR  new  governor,  Captain  Denny,  brought  over  for 
me  the  before-mentioned  medal  from  the  Royal  Society, 
which  he  presented  to  me  at  an  entertainment  given  him  5 
by  the  city.  He  accompanied  it  with  very  polite  expres 
sions  of  his  esteem  for  me,  having,  as  he  said,  been  long 
acquainted  with  my  character.  After  dinner,  when  the 
company,  as  was  customary  at  that  time,  were  engaged  in 
drinking,  he  took  me  aside  into  another  room,  and  ac-10 
quainted  me  that  he  had  been  advised  by  his  friends  in 
England  to  cultivate  a  friendship  with  me,  as  one  who  was 
capable  of  giving  him  the  best  advice,  and  of  contributing 
most  effectually  to  the  making  his  administration  easy ;  that 
he  therefore  desired  of  all  things  to  have  a  good  un-15 
derstanding  with  me,  and  he  begged  me  to  be  assured 
of  his  readiness  on  all  occasions  to  render  me  every  serv 
ice  that  might  be  in  his  power.  He  said  much  to  me, 
also,  of  the  proprietor's  good  disposition  towards  the 
province,  and  of  the  advantage  it  might  be  to  us  all,  and 20 
to  me  in  particular,  if  the  opposition  that  had  been  so 
long  continued  to  his  measures  was  dropped,  and  harmony 
restored  between  him  and  the  people;  in  effecting  which, 
it  was  thought  no  one  could  be  more  serviceable  than 
myself;  and  I  might  depend  on  adequate  acknowledg-25 
ments  and  recompenses,  etc.,  etc.  The  drinkers,  finding 
we  did  not  return  immediately  to  the  table,  sent  us  a 
decanter  of  Madeira,  which  the  governor  made  liberal 


180  Franklin's  Autobiography 

use  of,  and  in  proportion  became  more  profuse  of  his 
solicitations  and  promises. 

My  answers  were  to  this  purpose:  that  my  circum 
stances,  thanks  to  God,  were  such  as  to  make  proprietary 
5 favors  unnecessary  to  me;  and  that,  being  a  member  of 
the  Assembly,  I  could  not  possibly  accept  of  any;  that, 
however,  I  had  no  personal  enmity  to  the  proprietary, 
and  that,  whenever  the  public  measures  he  proposed  should 
appear  to  be  for  the  good  of  the  people,  no  one  should 

lOespouse  and  forward  them  more  zealously  than  myself; 
my  past  opposition  having  been  founded  on  this,  that  the 
measures  which  had  been  urged  were  evidently  intended 
to  serve  the  proprietary  interest,  with  great  prejudice  to 
that  of  the  people;  that  I  was  much  obliged  to  him  (the 

ISgovernor)  for  his  professions  of  regard  to  me,  and  that 
he  might  rely  on  everything  in  my  power  to  make  his  ad 
ministration  as  easy  as  possible,  hoping  at  the  same  time 
that  he  had  not  brought  with  him  the  same  unfortunate 
instruction  his  predecessor  had  been  hampered  with. 

20  On  this  he  did  not  then  explain  himself;  but  when  he 
afterwards  came  to  do  business  with  the  Assembly,  the/ 
appeared  again,  the  disputes  were  renewed,  and  I  was  as 
active  as  ever  in  the  opposition,  being  the  penman,  first, 
of  the  request  to  have  a  communication  of  the  instruc- 

25tions,  and  then  of  the  remarks  upon  them,  which  may  be 
found  in  the  votes  of  the  time,  and  in  the  Historical  Re 
view  I  afterward  published.  But  between  us  personally 
no  enmity  arose;  we  were  often  together;  he  was  a  man 
of  letters,  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  was  very 

SOentertaining  and  pleasing  in  conversation.  He  gave  me 
the  first  information  that  my  old  friend  Jas.  Ralph  was 
still  alive;  that  he  was  esteemed  one  of  the  best  political 
writers  in  England;  had  been  employed  in  the  dispute 
between  Prince  Frederic  and  the  king,  and  had  obtained 


Franklin's  Autobiography  181 

a  pension  of  three  hundred  a  year;  that  his  reputation 
was  indeed  small  as  a  poet,  Pope  having  damned  his 
poetry  in  the  Dunciad,  but  his  prose  was  thought  as  good 
as  any  man's. 

The   Assembly   finally   finding   the   proprietary   obsti-5 
nately  persisted  in  manacling  their  deputies  with  instruc 
tions   inconsistent   not   only   with   the   privileges   of   the 
people,  but  with  the  service  of  the  crown,  resolved  to 
petition  the  king  against  them,  and  appointed  me  their 
agent  to  go  over  to  England,  to  present  and  support  thelO 
petition.     The  House  had  sent  up  a  bill  to  the  governor, 
granting  a  sum  of  sixty  thousand  pounds  for  the  king's 
use  (ten  thousand  pounds  of  which  was  subjected  to  the 
orders  of  the  then  general  Lord  Loudoun),  which  the 
governor  absolutely  refused  to  pass,  in  compliance  with  15 
his  instructions. 

I  had  agreed  with  Captain  Morris,  of  the  packet  at 
New  York,  for  my  passage,  and  my  stores  were  put  on 
board,  when  Lord  Loudoun  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  ex 
pressly,  as  he  told  me,  to  endeavor  an  accommodation  20 
between  the  governor  and  Assembly,  that  his  majesty's 
service  might  not  be  obstructed  by  their  dissensions.  Ac 
cordingly,  he  desired  the  governor  and  myself  to  meet  him, 
that  he  might  hear  what  was  to  be  said  on  both  sides. 
We  met  and  discussed  the  business.  In  behalf  of  the  25 
Assembly,  I  urged  all  the  various  arguments  that  may  be 
found  in  the  public  papers  of  that  time,  which  were  of 
my  writing,  and  are  printed  with  the  minutes  of  the 
Assembly;  and  the  governor  pleaded  his  instructions,  the 
bond  he  had  given  to  observe  them,  and  his  ruin  if  he30 
disobeyed,  yet  seemed  not  unwilling  to  hazard  himself  if 
Lord  Loudoun  would  advise  it.  This  his  lordship  did 
not  choose  to  do,  though  I  once  thought  I  had  nearly 
prevailed  with  him  to  do  it;  but  finally  he  rather  chose 


1 82  Franklin's  Autobiography 

to  urge  the  compliance  of  the  Assembly ;  and  he  entreated 
me  to  use  my  endeavors  with  them  for  that  purpose,  de 
claring  that  he  would  spare  none  of  the  king's  troops  for 
the  defense  of  our  frontiers,  and  that,  if  we  did  not  con- 
Stinue  to  provide  for  that  defense  ourselves,  they  must  re 
main  exposed  to  the  enemy. 

I  acquainted  the  House  with  what  had  passed,  and, 
presenting  them  with  a  set  of  resolutions  I  had  drawn  up, 
declaring  our  rights,  and  that  we  did  not  relinquish  our 

lOclaim  to  those  rights,  but  only  suspended  the  exercise  of 
them  on  this  occasion  through  force,  against  which  we  pro 
tested,  they  at  length  agreed  to  drop  that  bill,  and  frame 
another  conformable  to  the  proprietary  instructions.  This 
of  course  the  governor  passed,  and  I  was  then  at  lib- 

ISerty  to  proceed  on  my  voyage.  But,  in  the  meantime,  the 
packet  had  sailed  with  my  sea-stores,  which  was  some  loss 
to  me,  and  my  only  recompense  was  his  lordship's  thanks 
for  my  service,  all  the  credit  of  obtaining  the  accommoda 
tion  falling  to  his  share. 

20  He  set  out  for  New  York  before  me;  and,  as  the  time 
for  dispatching  the  packet-boats  was  at  his  disposition, 
and  there  were  two  then  remaining  there,  one  of  which, 
he  said,  was  to  sail  very  soon,  I  requested  to  know  the 
precise  time,  that  I  might  not  miss  her  by  any  delay  of 

25mine.  His  answer  was,  "  I  have  given  out  that  she  is  to 
sail  on  Saturday  next;  but  I  may  let  you  know,  entre 
nous,  that  if  you  are  there  by  Monday  morning,  you  will 
be  in  time,  but  do  not  delay  longer."  By  some  accidental 
hindrance  at  a  ferry,  it  was  Monday  noon  before  I  ar- 

SOrived,  and  I  was  much  afraid  she  might  have  sailed,  as 
the  wind  was  fair;  but  I  was  soon  made  easy  by  the  in 
formation  that  she  was  still  in  the  harbor,  and  would  not 
move  till  the  next  day.  One  would  imagine  that  I 
was  now  on  the  very  point  of  departing  for  Europe.  I 


Franklin's  Autobiography  183 

thought  so;  but  I  was  not  then  so  well  acquainted  with 
his  lordship's  character,  of  which  indecision  was  one  of  the 
strongest  features.  I  shall  give  some  instances.  It  was 
about  the  beginning  of  April  that  I  came  to  New  York, 
and  I  think  it  was  near  the  end  of  June  before  we  sailed.  5 
There  were  then  two  of  the  packet-boats,  which  had  been 
long  in  port,  but  were  detained  for  the  general's  letters, 
which  were  always  to  be  ready  to-morrow.  Another 
packet  arrived;  she  too  was  detained;  and,  before  we 
sailed,  a  fourth  was  expected.  Ours  was  the  first  to  be  10 
dispatched,  as  having  been  there  longest.  Passengers  were 
engaged  in  all,  and  some  extremely  impatient  to  be  gone, 
and  the  merchants  uneasy  about  their  letters,  and  the  or 
ders  they  had  given  for  insurance  (it  being  war  time) 
for  fall  goods;  but  their  anxiety  availed  nothing;  his  lord- 15 
ship's  letters  were  not  ready;  and  yet  whoever  waited  on 
him  found  him  always  at  his  desk,  pen  in  hand,  and  con 
cluded  he  must  needs  write  abundantly. 

Going  myself  one  morning  to  pay  my  respects,  I  found 
in  his  antechamber  one  Innis,  a  messenger  of  Philadelphia,  20 
who  had  come  from  thence  express  with  a  packet  from 
Governor  Denny  for  the  general.  He  delivered  to  me 
some  letters  from  my  friends  there,  which  occasioned  my 
inquiring  when  he  was  to  return,  and  where  he  lodged, 
that  I  might  send  some  letters  by  him.  He  told  me  he 25 
was  ordered  to  call  to-morrow  at  nine  for  the  general's 
answer  to  the  governor,  and  should  set  off  immediately. 
I  put  my  letters  into  his  hands  the  same  day.  A  fort 
night  after  I  met  him  again  in  the  same  place.  "  So, 
you  are  soon  returned,  Innis?"  "Returned!  no,  I  am30 
not  gone  yet."  "How  so?"  "I  have  called  here  by 
order  every  morning  these  two  weeks  past  for  his  lord 
ship's  letter,  and  it  is  not  yet  ready."  "  Is  it  possible, 
when  he  is  so  great  a  writer?  for  I  see  him  constantly  at 


184  Franklin's  Autobiography 

his  escritoire."  "Yes,"  says  Innis,  "but  he  is  like  St. 
George  on  the  signs,  always  on  horseback,  and  never 
rides  on!1  This  observation  of  the  messenger  was,  it 
seems,  well  founded ;  for,  when  in  England,  I  understood 
5that  Mr.  Pitt  gave  it  as  one  reason  for  removing  this 
general,  and  sending  Generals  Amherst  and  Wolfe,  that 
the  minister  never  heard  from  him,  and  could  not  know 
what  he  was  doing. 

This   daily   expectation   of  sailing,   and    all   the  three 

lOpackets  going  down  to  Sandy  Hook,  to  join  the  fleet  there, 
the  passengers  thought  it  best  to  be  on  board,  lest  by 
a  sudden  order  the  ships  should  sail,  and  they  be  left 
behind.  There,  if  I  remember  right,  we  were  about  six 
weeks,  consuming  our  sea-stores,  and  obliged  to  procure 

ISmore.  At  length  the  fleet  sailed,  the  general  and  all  his 
army  on  board,  bound  to  Louisburg,  with  the  intent  to 
besiege  and  take  that  fortress;  all  the  packet-boats  in 
company  ordered  to  attend  the  general's  ship,  ready  to 
receive  his  dispatches  when  they  should  be  ready.  We 

20were  out  five  days  before  we  got  a  letter  with  leave  to 
part,  and  then  our  ship  quitted  the  fleet  and  steered  for 
England.  The  other  two  packets  he  still  detained,  carried 
them  with  him  to  Halifax,  where  he  stayed  some  time  to 
exercise  the  men  in  sham  attacks  upon  sham  forts,  then 

25altered  his  mind  as  to  besieging  Louisburg,  and  returned 
to  New  York,  with  all  his  troops,  together  with  the  two 
packets  above  mentioned,  and  all  their  passengers!  Dur 
ing  his  absence  the  French  and  savages  had  taken  Fort 
George,  on  the  frontier  of  that  province,  and  the  sav- 

30ages  had  massacred  many  of  the  garrison  after  capitula 
tion. 

I  saw  afterwards  in  London  Captain  Bonnell,  who 
commanded  one  of  those  packets.  He  told  me  that,  when 
he  had  been  detained  a  month,  he  acquainted  his  lordshif 


Franklin's  Autobiography  185 

that  his  ship  was  grown  foul,  to  a  degree  that  must  neces 
sarily  hinder  her  fast  sailing,  a  point  of  consequence  for  a 
packet-boat,  and  requested  an  allowance  of  time  to  heave 
her  down  and  clean  her  bottom.  He  was  asked  how  long 
time  that  would  require.  He  answered,  three  days.C 
The  general  replied,  "  If  you  can  do  it  in  one  day,  I  give 
leave;  otherwise  not;  for  you  must  certainly  sail  the  day 
after  to-morrow."  So  he  never  obtained  leave,  though 
detained  afterwards  from  day  to  day  during  full  three 
months.  10 

I  saw  also  in  London  one  of  Bonnell's  passengers,  who 
was  so  enraged  against  his  lordship  for  deceiving  and 
detaining  him  so  long  at  New  York,  and  then  carrying 
him  to  Halifax  and  back  again,  that  he  swore  he  would 
sue  him  for  damages.  Whether  he  did  or  not,  I  never  15 
heard;  but,  as  he  represented  the  injury  to  his  affairs,  it 
was  very  considerable. 

On  the  whole,  I  wondered  much  how  such  a  man  came 
to  be  intrusted  with  so  important  a  business  as  the  con 
duct  of  a  great  army;  but,  having  since  seen  more  of  the 20 
great  world,  and  the  means  of  obtaining,  and  motives 
for  giving  places,  my  wonder  is  diminished.  General 
Shirley,  on  whom  the  command  of  the  army  devolved 
upon  the  death  of  Braddock,  would,  in  my  opinion,  if 
continued  in  place,  have  made  a  much  better  campaign  25 
tfian  that  of  Loudoun  in  1757,  which  was  frivolous,  expen 
sive,  and  disgraceful  to  our  nation  beyond  conception; 
for,  though  Shirley  was  not  a  bred  soldier,  he  was  sensible 
and  sagacious  in  himself,  and  attentive  to  good  advice 
from  others,  capable  of  forming  judicious  plans,  and  quick 30 
and  active  in  carrying  them  into  execution.  Loudoun, 
instead  of  defending  the  colonies  with  his  great  army,  left 
them  totally  exposed  while  he  paraded  idly  at  Halifax,  by 
which  means  Fort  George  was  lost;  besides,  he  deranged 


1 86  Franklin's  Autobiography 

all  our  mercantile  operations,  and  distressed  our  trade,  by 
a  long  embargo  on  the  exportation  of  provisions,  on  pre 
tense  of  keeping  supplies  from  being  obtained  by  the 
enemy,  but  in  reality  for  beating  down  their  price  in 
5  favor  of  the  contractors,  in  whose  profits,  it  was  said, 
perhaps  from  suspicion  only,  he  had  a  share.  And,  when 
at  length  the  embargo  was  taken  off,  by  neglecting  to 
send  notice  of  it  to  Charlestown,  the  Carolina  fleet  was 
detained  near  three  months  longer,  whereby  their  bottoms 

lOwere  so  much  damaged  by  the  worm  that  a  great  part  of 
them  foundered  in  their  passage  home. 

Shirley  was,  I  believe,  sincerely  glad  of  being  relieved 
from  so  burdensome  a  charge  as  the  conduct  of  an  army 
must  be  to  a  man  unacquainted  with  military  business.  I 

15was  at  the  entertainment  given  by  the  city  of  New  York 
to  Lord  Loudoun,  on  his  taking  upon  him  the  command. 
Shirley,  though  thereby  superseded,  was  present  also. 
There  was  a  great  company  of  officers,  citizens,  and  stran 
gers,  and,  some  chairs  having  been  borrowed  in  the  neigh- 

20borhood,  there  was  one  among  them  very  low,  which  fell 
to  the  lot  of  Mr.  Shirley.  Perceiving  it  as  I  sat  by  him, 
I  said,  "  They  have  given  you,  sir,  too  low  a  seat." 
"  No  matter,"  says  he,  "  Mr.  Franklin,  I  find  a  low  seat 
the  easiest." 

25  While  I  was,  as  afore  mentioned,  detained  at  New  York, 
I  received  all  the  accounts  of  the  provisions,  etc.,  that  I 
had  furnished  to  Braddock,  some  of  which  accounts  could 
not  sooner  be  obtained  from  the  different  persons  I  had 
employed  to  assist  in  the  business.  I  presented  them  to 

30 Lord  Loudoun,  desiring  to  be  paid  the  balance.  He 
caused  them  to  be  regularly  examined  by  the  proper  officer, 
who,  after  comparing  every  article  with  its  voucher, 
certified  them  to  be  right ;  and  the  balance  due  for  which 
his  lordship  promised  to  give  me  an  order  on  the  pay- 


Franklin's  Autobiography  187 

master.  This  was,  however,  put  off  from  time  to  time; 
and,  though  I  called  often  for  it  by  appointment,  I  did  not 
get  it.  At  length,  just  before  my  departure,  he  told  me 
he  had,  on  better  consideration,  concluded  not  to  mix 
his  accounts  with  those  of  his  predecessors.  "  And  you, "5 
says  he,  "  when  in  England,  have  only  to  exhibit  your 
accounts  at  the  treasury,  and  you  will  be  paid  immedi- 
ately." 

I  mentioned,  but  without  effect,  the  great  and  unex 
pected  expense  I  had  been  put  to  by  being  detained  so  10 
long  at  New  York,  as  a  reason  for  my  desiring  to  be 
presently  paid;  and  on  my  observing  that  it  was  not 
right  I  should  be  put  to  any  further  trouble  or  delay 
in  obtaining  the  money  I  had  advanced,  as  I  charged  no 
commission  for  my  service.  "  O,  Sir,"  says  he,  "  you  mustl5 
not  think  of  persuading  us  that  you  are  no  gainer;  we 
understand  better  those  affairs,  and  know  that  every  one 
concerned  in  supplying  the  army  finds  means,  in  the  do 
ing  it,  to  fill  his  own  pockets."  I  assured  him  that  was 
not  my  case,  and  that  I  had  not  pocketed  a  farthing;  but 20 
he  appeared  clearly  not  to  believe  me;  and,  indeed,  I 
have  since  learned  that  immense  fortunes  are  often  made 
in  such  employments.  As  to  my  balance,  I  am  not  paid 
it  to  this  day,  of  which  more  hereafter. 

Our  captain  of  the  packet  had  boasted  much,  before  we  25 
sailed,  of  the  swiftness  of  his  ship;  unfortunately,  when 
we  came  to  sea,  she  proved  the  dullest  of  ninety-six  sail, 
to  his  no  small  mortification.     After  many  conjectures  re 
specting  the  cause,  when  we  were  near  another  ship  al 
most  as  dull  as  ours,  which,  however,  gained  upon  us, 30 
the  captain  ordered  all  hands  to  come  aft,  and  stand  as  near 
the   ensign   staff   as   possible.     We   were,   passengers   in 
cluded,  about  forty  persons.     While  we  stood  there,  the 
ship  mended  her  pace,  and  soon  left  her  neighbor  far  be- 


1 88  Franklin's  Autobiography 

hind,  which  proved  clearly  what  our  captain  suspected,  that 
she  was  loaded  too  much  by  the  head.  The  casks  of 
water,  it  seems,  had  been  all  placed  forward;  these  he 
therefore  ordered  to  be  moved  further  aft,  on  which  the 
5ship  recovered  her  character,  and  proved  the  best  sailer  in 
the  fleet. 

The  captain  said  she  had  once  gone  at  the  rate  of 
thirteen  knots,  which  is  accounted  thirteen  miles  per 
hour.  We  had  on  board,  as  a  passenger,  Captain  Ken- 

lOnedy,  of  the  Navy,  who  contended  that  it  was  impossible, 
and  that  no  ship  ever  sailed  so  fast,  and  that  there  must 
have  been  some  error  in  the  division  of  the  log-line,  or 
some  mistake  in  heaving  the  log.  A  wager  ensued  be 
tween  the  two  captains,  to  be  decided  when  there  should 

15be  sufficient  wind.  Kennedy  thereupon  examined  rigor- 
osuly  the  log-line,  and,  being  satisfied  with  that,  he  de 
termined  to  throw  the  log  himself.  Accordingly  some  days 
after,  when  the  wind  blew  very  fair  and  fresh,  and  the 
captain  of  the  packet,  Lutwidge,  said  he  believed  she 

20then  went  at  the  rate  of  thirteen  knots,  Kennedy  made 
the  experiment,  and  owned  his  wager  lost. 

The  above  fact  I  give  for  the  sake  of  the  following 
observation.  It  has  been  remarked,  as  an  imperfection 
in  the  art  of  ship-building,  that  it  can  never  be  known, 

25till  she  is  tried,  whether  a  new  ship  will  or  will  not  be  a 
good  sailer;  for  that  the  model  of  a  good-sailing  ship 
has  been  exactly  followed  in  a  new  one,  which  has  proved, 
on  the  contrary,  remarkably  dull.  I  apprehend  that  this 
may  partly  be  occasioned  by  the  different  opinions  of  sea- 

SOmen  respecting  the  modes  of  lading,  rigging,  and  sailing  of 
a  ship ;  each  has  his  system ;  and  the  same  vessel,  laden 
by  the  judgment  and  orders  of  one  captain,  shall  sail 
better  or  worse  than  when  by  the  orders  of  another.  Be 
sides,  it  scarce  ever  happens  that  a  ship  is  formed,  fitted 


Franklin's  Autobiography  189 

for  the  sea,  and  sailed  by  the  same  person.  One  man 
builds  the  hull,  another  rigs  her,  a  third  lades  and  sails 
her.  No  one  of  these  has  the  advantage  of  knowing  all 
the  ideas  and  experience  of  the  others,  and,  therefore, 
cannot  draw  just  conclusions  from  a  combination  of  the 5 
whole. 

Even  in  the  simple  operation  of  sailing  when  at  sea,  I 
have  often   observed   different  judgments  in  the  officers 
who  commanded  the  successive  watches,  the  wind  being 
the  same.     One  would  have  the  sails  trimmed  sharper  or  1C* 
flatter  than  another,  so  that  they  seemed  to  have  no  cer 
tain  rule  to  govern  by.     Yet  I  think  a  set  of  experiments 
might  be  instituted:  first,  to  determine  the  most  proper 
form  of  the  hull  for  swift  sailing;  next,  the  best  dimen 
sions  and  properest  place  for  the  masts;  then  the  formlS 
and  quantity  of  sails,  and  their  position,  as  the  wind  may 
be;  and,  lastly,  the  disposition  of  the  lading.     This  is  an 
age  of  experiments,  and  I  think  a  set  accurately  made  and 
combined  would  be  of  great  use.     I  am  persuaded,  there 
fore,  that  ere  long  some  ingenious  philosopher  will  under- 20 
take  it,  to  whom  I  wish  success. 

We  were  several  times  chased  in  our  passage,  but  out 
sailed  everything,  and  in  thirty  days  had  soundings.  We 
had  a  good  observation,  and  the  captain  judged  himself  so 
near  our  port,  Falmouth,  that,  if  we  made  a  good  run  in 25 
the  night,  we  might  be  off  the  mouth  of  that  harbor  in  the 
morning,  and  by  running  in  the  night  might  escape  the 
notice  of  the  enemy's  privateers,  who  often  cruised  near 
the  entrance  of  the  channel.  Accordingly,  all  the  sail  was 
set  that  we  could  possibly  make,  and  the  wind  being  very 30 
fresh  and  fair,  we  went  right  before  it,  and  made  great 
way.  The  captain,  after  his  observation,  shaped  his  course, 
as  he  thought,  so  as  to  pass  wide  of  the  Scilly  Isles ;  but  it 
seems  there  is  sometimes  a  strong  indraught  setting  up  St. 


190  Franklin's  Autobiography 

George's  Channel,  which  deceives  seamen  and  caused  the 
loss  of  Sir  Cloudesley  Shovel's  squadron.  This  indraught 
was  probably  the  cause  of  what  happened  to  us. 

We  had  a  watchman  placed  in  the  bow,  to  whom  they 
5often  called,  "  Look  well  out  before  there"  and  he  as  often 
answered,  "  Ay,  ay;  "  but  perhaps  had  his  eyes  shut,  and 
was  half  asleep  at  the  time,  they  sometimes  answering,  as 
is  said,  mechanically;  for  he  did  not  see  a  light  just  be 
fore  us,  which  had  been  hid  by  the  studding-sails  from  the 

lOman  at  the  helm,  and  from  the  rest  of  the  watch,  but  by 
an  accidental  yaw  of  the  ship  was  discovered,  and  occa 
sioned  a  great  alarm,  we  being  very  near  it,  the  light  ap 
pearing  to  me  as  big  as  a  cart  wheel.  It  was  midnight, 
and  our  captain  fast  asleep;  but  Captain  Kennedy,  jump- 

15ing  upon  deck,  and  seeing  the  danger,  ordered  the  ship  to 
wear  round,  all  sails  standing;  an  operation  dangerous  to 
the  masts,  but  it  carried  us  clear,  and  we  escaped  ship 
wreck,  for  we  were  running  right  upon  the  rocks  on  which 
the  lighthouse  was  erected.  This  deliverance  impressed 

20me  strongly  with  the  utility  of  lighthouses,  and  made  me 
resolve  to  encourage  the  building  more  of  them  in  America 
if  I  should  live  to  return  there. 

In  the  morning  it  was  found  by  the  soundings,  etc., 
that  we  were  near  our  port,  but  a  thick  fog  hid  the  land 

25from  our  sight.  About  nine  o'clock  the  fog  began  to  rise, 
and  seemed  to  be  lifted  up  from  the  water  like  the  curtain 
at  a  play-house,  discovering  underneath,  the  town  of  Fal- 
mouth,  the  vessels  in  its  harbor,  and  the  fields  that  sur 
rounded  it.  This  was  a  most  pleasing  spectacle  to  those 

30who  had  been  so  long  without  any  other  prospects  than  the 
uniform  view  of  a  vacant  ocean,  and  it  gave  us  the  more 
pleasure  as  we  were  now  free  from  the  anxieties  which 
the  state  of  war  occasioned. 

I  set  out  immediately,  with  my  son,,  for  London,  and 


Franklin's  Autobiography  191 

we  only  stopped  a  little  by  the  way  to  view  Stonehenge  on 
Salisbury  Plain,  and  Lord  Pembroke's  house  and  gardens, 
with  his  very  curious  antiquities  at  Wilton.  We  arrived 
in  London  the  27th  of  July,  1757. 

As  soon  as  I  was  settled  in  a  lodging  Mr.  Charles  had 5 
provided  for  me,  I  went  to  visit  Dr.  Fothergill,  to  whom  I 
was  strongly  recommended,  and  whose  counsel  respecting 
my  proceedings  I  was  advised  to  obtain.     He  was  against 
an  immediate  complaint  to  government,  and  thought  the 
proprietaries  should   first  be  personally  applied   to,   who  10 
might  possibly  be  induced  by  the  interposition  and  persua 
sion   of   some   private   friends,    to   accommodate   matters 
amicably.     I  then  waited  on  my  old   friend  and  corre 
spondent,  Mr.  Peter  Collinson,  who  told  me  that  John 
Hanbury,  the  great  Virginia  merchant,  had  requested  to  be!5 
informed  when  I  should  arrive,  that  he  might  carry  me  to 
Lord  Granville's,  who  was  then  President  of  the  Council 
and  wished  to  see  me  as  soon  as  possible.     I  agreed  to 
go  with  him  the  next  morning.     Accordingly  Mr.  Han- 
bury  called  for  me  and  took  me  in  his  carriage  to  that  20 
nobleman's,  who  received  me  with  great  civility ;  and  after 
some  questions  respecting  the  present  state  of  affairs  in 
America  and  discourse  thereupon,  he  said  to  me:  "You 
Americans  have  wrong  ideas  of  the  nature  of  your  con 
stitution;  you  contend  that  the  king's  instructions  to  his25 
governors  are  not  laws,  and  think  yourselves  at  liberty  to 
regard  or  disregard  them  at  your  own  discretion.     But 
those  instructions  are  not  like  the  pocket  instructions  given 
to  a  minister  going  abroad,   for  regulating  his  conduct 
in  some  trifling  point  of  ceremony.     They  are  first  drawn  30 
up  by  judges  learned  in  the  laws;  they  are  then  considered, 
debated,  and  perhaps  amended  in  Council,  after  which  they 
are  signed  by  the  king.     They  are  then,  so  far  as  they 
relate  to  you,  the  law  of  the  land,  for  the  king  is  the  LEG- 


192  Franklin's  Autobiography 

ISLATOR  OF  THE  COLONIES."  I  told  his  lordship  this  was 
new  doctrine  to  me.  I  had  always  understood  from  our 
charters  that  our  laws  were  to  be  made  by  our  Assemblies, 
to  be  presented  indeed  to  the  king  for  his  royal  assent,  but 
6that  being  once  given  the  king  could  not  repeal  or  alter 
them.  And  as  the  Assemblies  could  not  make  permanent 
laws  without  his  assent,  so  neither  could  he  make  a  law 
for  them  without  theirs.  He  assured  me  I  was  totally 
mistaken.  I  did  not  think  so,  however,  and  his  lordship's 

lOconversation  having  a  little  alarmed  me  as  to  what  might 
be  the  sentiments  of  the  court  concerning  us,  I  wrote  it 
down  as  soon  as  I  returned  to  my  lodgings.  I  recollected 
that  about  20  years  before,  a  clause  in  a  bill  brought  into 
Parliament  by  the  ministry  had  proposed  to  make  the 

IBking's  instructions  laws  in  the  colonies,  but  the  clause 
was  thrown  out  by  the  Commons,  for  which  we  adored 
them  as  our  friends  and  friends  of  liberty,  till  by  their  con 
duct  towards  us  in  1765  it  seemed  that  they  had  refused 
that  point  of  sovereignty  to  the  king  only  that  they  might 

20 reserve  it  for  themselves. 

After  some  days,  Dr.  Fothergill  having  spoken  to  the 
proprietaries,  they  agreed  to  a  meeting  with  me  at  Mr. 
T.  Penn's  house  in  Spring  Garden.  The  conversation 
at  first  consisted  of  mutual  declarations  of  disposition  to 

25reasonable  accommodations,  but  I  suppose  each  party  had 
its  own  ideas  of  what  should  be  meant  by  reasonable.  We 
then  went  into  consideration  of  our  several  points  of  com 
plaint,  which  I  enumerated.  The  proprietaries  justified 
their  conduct  as  well  as  they  could,  and  I  the  Assembly's. 

SOWe  now  appeared  very  wide,  and  so  far  from  each  other 
in  our  opinions  as  to  discourage  all  hope  of  agreement. 
However,  it  was  concluded  that  I  should  give  them  the 
heads  of  our  complaints  in  writing,  and  they  promised  then 
to  consider  them.  I  did  so  soon  after,  but  they  put  the 


Franklin's  Autobiography  193 

paper  into  the  hands  of  their  solicitor,  Ferdinand  John 
Paris,  who  managed  for  them  all  their  law  business  in 
their  great  suit  with  the  neighboring  proprietary  of  Mary 
land,  Lord  Baltimore,  which  had  subsisted  70  years,  and 
wrote  for  them  all  their  papers  and  messages  in  theirS 
dispute  with  the  Assembly.  He  was  a  proud,  angry 
man,  and  as  I  had  occasionally  in  the  answers  of  the 
Assembly  treated  his  papers  with  some  severity,  they  be 
ing  really  weak  in  point  of  argument  and  haughty  in  ex 
pression,  he  had  conceived  a  mortal  enmity  to  me,  which  10 
discovering  itself  whenever  we  met,  I  declined  the  pro 
prietary's  proposal  that  he  and  I  should  discuss  the  heads 
of  complaint  between  our  two  selves,  and  refused  treating 
with  anyone  but  them.  They  then  by  his  advice  put  the 
paper  into  the  hands  of  the  Attorney  and  Solicitor-Gen- 15 
eral  for  their  opinion  and  counsel  upon  it,  where  it  lay  un 
answered  a  year  wanting  eight  days,  during  which  time 
I  made  frequent  demands  of  an  answer  from  the  pro 
prietaries,  but  without  obtaining  any  other  than  that  they 
had  not  yet  received  the  opinion  of  the  Attorney  and  So- 20 
licitor-General.  What  it  was  when  they  did  receive  it 
I  never  learned,  for  they  did  not  communicate  it  to  me, 
but  sent  a  long  message  to  the  Assembly  drawn  and  signed 
by  Paris,  reciting  my  paper,  complaining  of  its  want  of 
formality,  as  a  rudeness  on  my  part,  and  giving  a  flimsy 25 
justification  of  their  conduct,  adding  that  they  should  be 
willing  to  accommodate  matters  if  the  Assembly  would 
send  out  some  person  of  candor  to  treat  with  them  for  that 
purpose,  intimating  thereby  that  I  was  not  such. 

The  want  of  formality  or  rudeness  was,  probably,  my 30 
not  having  addressed  the  paper  to  them  with  their  assumed 
titles  of  True  and  Absolute  Proprietaries  of  the  Province 
of  Pennsylvania,  which  I  omitted  as  not  thinking  it  nec 
essary  in  a  paper,  the  intention  of  which  was  only  to  reduce 


194  Franklin's  Autobiography 

to  a  certainty  by  writing,  what  in  conversation   I  had 
delivered  viva  voce. 

But  during  this  delay,  the  Assembly  having  prevailed 

with  Governor  Denny  to  pass  an  act  taxing  the  proprie- 

otary  estate  in  common  with  the  estates  of  the  people,  which 

was  the  grand  point  in  dispute,  they  omitted  answering  the 

message. 

When  this  act,  however,  came  over,  the  proprietaries, 
counseled   by   Paris,   determined   to  oppose   its   receiving 

lOthe  royal  assent.  Accordingly  they  petitioned  the  king 
in  Council,  and  a  hearing  wias  appointed  in  which  two 
lawyers  were  employed  by  them  against  the  act,  and  two 
by  me  in  support  of  it.  They  alleged  that  the  act  was 
intended  to  load  the  proprietary  estate  in  order  to  spare 

15those  of  the  people,  and  that  if  it  were  suffered  to  con 
tinue  in  force,  and  the  proprietaries,  who  were  in  odium 
with  the  people,  left  to  their  mercy  in  proportioning  the 
taxes,  they  would  inevitably  be  ruined.  We  replied  that 
the  act  had  no  such  intention,  and  would  have  no  such 

20effect.  That  the  assessors  were  honest  and  discreet  m*i 
under  an  oath  to  assess  fairly  and  equitably,  and  that 
any  advantage  each  of  them  might  expect  in  lessening  his 
own  tax  by  augmenting  that  of  the  proprietaries  was  too 
trifling  to  induce  them  to  perjure  themselves.  This  is 

25the  purport  of  what  I  remember  as  urged  by  both  sides, 
except  that  we  insisted  strongly  on  the  mischievous  conse 
quences  that  must  attend  a  repeal,  for  that  the  money, 
£100,000,  being  printed  and  given  to  the  king's  use,  ex 
pended  in  his  service,  and  now  spread  among  the  people, 

30the  repeal  would  strike  it  dead  in  their  hands  to  the  ruin 
of  many,  and  the  total  discouragement  of  future  grants, 
and  the  selfishness  of  the  proprietors  in  soliciting  such  a 
general  catastrophe,  merely  from  a  groundless  fear  of  their 
estate  being  taxed  too  highly,  was  insisted  on  in  the 


Franklin's  Autobiography  195 

strongest  terms.  On  this,  Lord  Mansfield,  one  of  the 
counsel,  rose,  and  beckoning  me  took  me  into  the  clerk's 
chamber,  while  the  lawyers  were  pleading,  and  asked  me  if 
I  was  really  of  opinion  that  no  injury  would  be  done  the 
proprietary  estate  in  the  execution  of  the  act.  I  said  cer-5 
tainly.  "  Then,"  says  he,  "  you  can  have  little  objection 
to  enter  into  an  engagement  to  assure  that  point."  I 
answered,  "  None  at  all."  He  then  called  in  Paris,  and 
after  some  discourse,  his  lordship's  proposition  was  ac 
cepted  on  both  sides;  a  paper  to  the  purpose  was  drawnlO 
up  by  the  Clerk  of  the  Council,  which  I  signed  with 
Mr.  Charles,  who  was  also  an  Agent  of  the  Province 
for  their  ordinary  affairs,  when  Lord  Mansfield  returned 
to  the  Council  Chamber,  where  finally  the  law  was  allowed 
to  pass.  Some  changes  were  however  recommended  andlS 
we  also  engaged  they  should  be  made  by  a  subsequent  law, 
but  the  Assembly  did  not  think  them  necessary;  for  one 
year's  tax  having  been  levied  by  the  act  before  the  order 
of  Council  arrived,  they  appointed  a  committee  to  examine 
the  proceedings  of  the  assessors,  and  on  this  committee  they  20 
put  several  particular  friends  of  the  proprietaries.  After  a 
full  inquiry,  they  unanimously  signed  a  report  that  they 
found  the  tax  had  been  assessed  with  perfect  equity. 

The  Assembly  looked  into  my  entering  into  the  first  part , 
of  the  engagement,  as  an  essential  service  to  the  Prov-25 
ince,  since  it  secured  the  credit  of  the  paper  money  then 
spread  over  all  the  country.     They  gave  me  their  thanks 
in   form  when   I   returned.     But  the  proprietaries  were 
enraged  at  Governor  Denny  for  having  passed  the  act,  and 
turned  him  out  with  threats  of  suing  him  for  breach  of30 
instructions  which  he  had  given  bond  to  observe.     He, 
however,  having  done  it  at  the  instance  of  the  general, 
and  for  His  Majesty's  service,  and  having  some  powerful 
interest  at  court,  despised  the  threats  and  they  were  never 
put  in  execution* 


Father  Abraham  in  his  STUDY. 


r!pHE  SHADE  of  Him  who  Counfcl  can  beftow, 

J.     Still  plcas'd  to  teach,  and  yet  not  proud  to  know  f 
Unbias'd  or  by  Favour  or  by  Spite ; 
Nor  dully  prepoflefs'd,  nor  blindly  right; 
Thd  learn'd,  well-bred  ;  and,  th6  well-bred,  fiaccre ; 
Modeftly  bold*  and  humanely  fevere ; 
Wfho  to  a  Friend  his  Faults  can  .fweetfy  ftow. 
And  gladly*  praife  the  Merit  of  a  Foe. 
Here,  there  lie  fits,  his  chearful  Aid  to-. lead  ;      } 
A  firm,  onfliaken,   oncorrnpted  Friend*  > 


Printed  ly  Benjamin  Mecom,  at  the  New 
Prindng-Office,  (near  the  TOWN-HOUSE,  in  Bofton)  wbere 
BOOKS  are  Sold,  and  PRINTING-WORK  done,  Cheap. 


Reproduced  by  Permission  of  The  New  York  Public  Library  from 
"  Father  Abraham's  Speech,"  1760. 


ELECTRICAL  KITE 

To  Peter  Collinson. 

[Philadelphia],   Oct.   19,   1752. 
SIR, 

As  frequent  mention  is  made  in  public  papers  from 
Europe  of  the  success  of  the  Philadelphia  experiment  for 
drawing  the  electric  fire  from  clouds  by  means  of  pointed  5 
rods  of  iron  erected  on  high  buildings,  &c.,  it  may  be 
agreeable  to  the  curious  to  be  informed,  that  the  same  ex 
periment  has  succeeded  in  Philadelphia,  though  made  in  a 
different  and  more  easy  manner,  which  is  as  follows: 

Make  a  small  cross  of  two  light  strips  of  cedar,  the  armsio 
so  long  as  to  reach  to  the  four  corners  of  a  large,  thin  silk 
handkerchief  when  extended ;  tie  the  corners  of  the  hand 
kerchief  to  the  extremities  of  the  cross,  so  you  have  the 
body  of  a  kite;  which  being  properly  accommodated  with 
a  tail,  loop,  and  string,  will  rise  in  the  air,  like  those  madei5 
of  paper;  but  this  being  of  silk,  is  fitter  to  bear  the  wet  and 
wind  of  a  thunder-gust  without  tearing.     To  the  top  of 
the  upright  stick  of  the  cross  is  to  be  fixed  a  very  sharp- 
pointed  wire,  rising  a  foot  or  more  above  the  wood.     To 
the  end  of  the  twine,  next  the  hand,  is  to  be  tied  a  silk20 
ribbon,  and  where  the  silk  and  twine  join,  a  key  may  be 
fastened.     This  kite  is  to  be  raised  when  a  thunder-gust 
appears  to  be  coming  on,  and  the  person  who  holds  the 
string  must  stand  within  a  door  or  window,  or  under  some 
cover,  so  that  the  silk  ribbon  may  not  be  wet;  and  care 2 5 
must  be  taken  that  the  twine  does  not  touch  the  frame  of 
the  door  or  window.     As  soon   as  any  of  the  thunder 
clouds  come  over  the  kite,  the  pointed  wire  will  draw  the 

197 


198  Electrical  Kite 

electric  fire  from  them,  and  the  kite,  with  all  the  twine, 
will  be  electrified,  and  the  loose  filaments  of  the  twine  will 
stand  out  every  way  and  be  attracted  by  an  approaching 
finger.  And  when  the  rain  has  wet  the  kite  and  twine, 
5so  that  it  can  conduct  the  electric  fire  freely,  you  will 
find  it  stream  out  plentifully  from  the  key  on  the  ap 
proach  of  your  knuckle.  At  this  key  the  phial  may  be 
charged;  and  from  electric  fire  thus  obtained,  spirits  may 
be  kindled,  and  all  the  electric  experiments  be  performed, 
XOwhich  are  usually  done  by  the  help  of  a  rubbed  glass  globe 
or  tube,  and  thereby  the  sameness  of  the  electric  matter 
with  that  of  lightning  completely  demonstrated. 

B.  FRANKLIN. 


THE  WAY  TO  WEALTH 

(From  Father  Abraham's  Speech  forming  the  preface 
to  Poor  Richard's  Almanac  for  1758.) 

IT  would  be  thought  a  hard  Government  that  should 
tax  its  People  one-tenth  Part  of  their  Time,  to  be  em 
ployed  in  its  Service.  But  Idleness  taxes  many  of  us 
much  more,  if  we  reckon  all  that  is  spent  in  absolute  Sloth, 
or  doing  of  nothing,  with  that  which  is  spent  in  idle  Em-5 
ployments  or  Amusements,  that  amount  to  nothing. 
Sloth,  by  bringing  on  Diseases,  absolutely  shortens  Life. 
Sloth,  like  Rust,  consumes  faster  than  Labor  wears;  while 
the  used  key  is  always  bright,  as  Poor  Richard  says.  But 
dost  thou  love  Life,  then  do  not  squander  Time,  for  that's^ 
the  stuff  Life  is  made  of,  as  Poor  Richard  says.  How 
much  more  than  is  necessary  do  we  spend  in  sleep,  for 
getting  that  The  sleeping  Fox  catches  no  Poultry,  and  that 
There  will  be  sleeping  enough  in  the  Grave,  as  Poor  Rich 
ard  says.  15 

//  Time  be  of  all  Things  the  most  precious,  wasting 
Time  must  be,  as  Poor  Richard  says,  the  greatest  Prodigal 
ity;  since,  as  he  elsewhere  tells  us,  Lost  Time  is  never  found 
again;  and  what  we  call  Time  enough,  always  proves  little 
enough:  Let  us  then  up  and  be  doing,  and  doing  to  the20 
Purpose;  so  by  Diligence  shall  we  do  more  with  less  Per 
plexity.  Sloth  makes  all  Things  difficult,  but  Industry  all 
easy,  as  Poor  Richard  says ;  and  He  that  riseth  late  must 
trot  all  Day,  and  shall  scarce  overtake  his  Business  at 
Night;  while  Laziness  travels  so  slowly,  that  Poverty^ 
soon  overtakes  him,  as  we  read  in  Poor  Richard,  who  adds, 

199 


200  The  Way  to  Wealth 

Drive  thy  Business,  let  not  that  drive  thee;  and  Early  to 
Bed,  and  early  to  rise,  makes  a  Man  healthy,  wealthy,  and 
wise. 

Industry  need  not  wish,  and  he  that  lives  upon  Hope 
5will  die  fasting. 

There  are  no  Gains  without  Pains. 
He  that  hath  a  Trade  hath  an  Estate;  and  he  that  hath 
a  Calling,  hath  an  Office  of  Profit  and  Honor;  but  then 
the  Trade  must  be  worked  at,  and  the  Calling  well  fol- 
lOlowed,  or  neither  the  Estate  nor  the  Office  will  enable  us 
to  pay  our  Taxes. 

What  though  you  have  found  no  Treasure,  nor  has  any 
rich  Relation  left  you  a  Legacy,  Diligence  is  the  Mother  of 
Good-luck,  as  Poor  Richard  says,  and  God  gives  all  Things 
15^0  Industry. 

One  To-day  is  worth  two  To-morrows,  and  farther, 
Have  you  somewhat  to  do  To-morrow,  do  it  To-day. 

If  you  were  a  Servant,  would  you  not  be  ashamed  that  a 
good  Master  should  catch  you  idle?     Are  you  then  your 
20own  Master,  be  ashamed  to  catch  yourself  idle* 

Stick  to  it  steadily;  and  you  will  see  great  Effects,  for 
Constant  Dropping  wears  away  Stones,  and  by  Diligence 
and  Patience  the  Mouse  ate  in  two  the  Cable;  and 
Little  Strokes  fell  great  Oaks. 

25  Methinks  I  hear  some  of  you  say,  Must  a  Man  afford 
himself  no  Leisure?  I  will  tell  thee,  my  friend,  what 
Poor  Richard  says,  Employ  thy  Time  well,  if  thou  meanest 
to  gain  Leisure;  and,  since  thou  are  not  sure  of  a  Min 
ute,  throw  not  away  an  Hour.  Leisure,  is  Time  for  do- 
SOing  something  useful ;  this  Leisure  the  diligent  Man  will 
obtain,  but  the  lazy  Man  never;  so  that,  as  Poor  Richard 
says,  A  Life  of  Leisure  and  a  Life  of  Laziness  are  two 
things. 


The  Way  to  Wealth  201 

Keep  thy  Shop,  and  thy  Shop  will  keep  thee;  and  again, 
If  you  would  have  your  business  done,  go;  if  not,  send. 

If  you  would  have  a  faithful  Servant,  and  one  that  you 
like,  serve  yourself. 

A  little  Neglect  may  breed  great  Mischief ;  adding,  for 5 
want  of  a  Nail  the  Shoe  was  lost;  for  want  of  a  Shoe  the 
Horse  was  lost;  and  for  want  of  a  Horse  the  Rider  was 
lost,  being  overtaken  and  slain  by  the  Enemy;  all  for  the 
want   of   Care  about  a  Horse-shoe  Nail. 

So   much    for   Industry,   my   Friends,    and    Attention  10 
to  one's  own  Business;  but  to  these  we  must  add  Fru 
gality. 

What  maintains  one  Vice,  would  bring  up  two  Chil 
dren.  You  may  think  perhaps,  that  a  little  Tea,  or  a 
little  Punch  now  and  then,  Diet  a  little  more  costly,  15 
Clothes  a  little  finer,  and  a  little  Entertainment  now  and 
then,  can  be  no  great  Matter;  but  remember  what  Poor 
Richard  says,  Many  a  Little  makes  a  Mickel. 

Beware  of  little  expenses;  A   small  Leak  will  sink  a 
great  Ship;  and  again,  Who  Dainties  love,  shall  Beggars^ 
prove;  and  moreover,  Fools  make  Feasts,  and  wise  Men 
eat  them. 

Buy  what  thou  hast  no  Need  of,  and  ere  long  thou  shalt 
sell  thy  Necessaries. 

If  you  would  know  the  Value  of  Money,  go  and  try  to  25 
borrow  some;  for,  he  that  goes  a  borrowing  goes  a  sor 
rowing. 

The  second  Vice  is  Lying,  the  first  is  running  in  Debt. 

Lying  rides  upon  Debt's  Back. 

Poverty  often  deprives  a  Man  of  all  Spirit  and  Virtue: 30 
'Tis  hard  for  an  empty  Bag  to  stand  upright. 

And  now  to  conclude,  Experience  keeps  a  dear  School, 
but  Fools  will  learn  in  no  other,  and  scarce  in  that;  for  it 


202  The  Way  to  Wealth 

is  true,  we  may  give  Advice,  but  we  cannot  give  Conduct, 
as  Poor  Richard  says:  However,  remember  this,  They 
that  wont  be  counseled,  cant  be  helped,  as  Poor  Richard 
says:  and  farther,  That,  if  you  will  not  hear  Reason,  she'll 
Ssurely  rap  your  Knuckles. 


THE  WHISTLE 
To  Madame  Brillon 

PASSY,  November  10,  1779. 

I  am  charmed  with  your  description  of  Paradise,  and 
with  your  plan  of  living  there;  and  I  approve  much  of 
your  conclusion,  that,  in  the  meantime,  we  should  draw 
all  the  good  we  can  from  this  world.  In  my  opinion, 5 
we  might  all  draw  more  good  from  it  than  we  do,  and 
suffer  less  evil,  if  we  would  take  care  not  to  give  too  much 
for  whistles.  For  to  me  it  seems,  that  most  of  the  un 
happy  people  we  meet  with,  are  become  so  by  neglect  of  that 
caution.  10 

You  ask  what  I  mean?     You  love  stories,  and  will  ex 
cuse  my  telling  one  of  myself. 

When  I  was  a  child  of  seven  year  old,  my  friends,  on  a 
holiday,  filled  my  pocket  with  coppers.     I  went  directly 
to  a  shop  where  they  sold  toys  for  children;  and  being  15 
charmed  with  the  sound  of  a  whistle,  that  I  met  by  the 
way  in  the  hands  of  another  boy,  I  voluntarily  offered  and 
gave  all  my  money  for  one.     I   then   came  home,  and 
went  whistling  all  over  the  house,  much  pleased  with  my 
whistle,  but  disturbing  all  the  family.     My  brothers,  and20 
sisters,  and  cousins,  understanding  the  bargain  I  had  made, 
told  me  I  had  given  four  times  as  much  for  it  as  it  was 
worth ;  put  me  in  mind  what  good  things  I  might  have 
bought  with  the  rest  of  the  money;  and  laughed  at  me  so 
much  for  my  folly,  that  I  cried  with  vexation ;  and  the  re-25 
flection  gave  me  more  chagrin  than  the  whistle  gave  me 
pleasure. 

This,  however,  was  afterwards  of  use  to  me,  the  im- 
203 


204  The  Whistle 

pression  continuing  on  my  mind ;  so  that  often,  when  I  was* 
tempted  to  buy  some  unnecessary  thing,  I  said  to  myself; 
Don't  give  too  much  for  the  whistle;  and  I  saved  my 
money. 

5  As  I  grew  up,  came  into  the  world,  and  observed  the 
actions  of  men,  I  thought  I  met  with  many,  very  many, 
who  gave  too  much  for  the  whistle. 

When  I  saw  one  too  ambitious  of  court  favor,  sacrific 
ing  his  time  in  attendance  on  levees,  his  repose,  his  lib- 

lOerty,  his  virtue,  and  perhaps  his  friends,  to  attain  it,  I 
have  said  to  myself,  This  man  gives  too  much  for  his 
whistle. 

When  I  saw  another  fond  of  popularity,  constantly  em 
ploying  himself  in  political  bustles,  neglecting  his  own 

15  affairs,  and  ruining  them  by  neglect,  He  pays,  indeed,  said 
I,  too  much  for  his  whistle. 

If  I  knew  a  miser  who  gave  up  every  kind  of  comfort 
able  living,  all  the  pleasure  of  doing  good  to  others,  all 
the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  the  joys  of  benevo- 

20lent  friendship,  for  the  sake  of  accumulating  wealth, 
Poor  man,  said  I,  you  pay  too  much  for  your  whistle. 

When  I  met  with  a  man  of  pleasure,  sacrificing  every 
laudable  improvement  of  the  mind,  or  of  his  fortune,  to 
mere  corporeal  sensations,  and  ruining  his  health  in  their 

2 5 pursuit,  Mistaken  man,  said  I,  you  are  providing  pain  for 
yourself,  instead  of  pleasure;  you  give  too  much  for  your 
whistle. 

If  I  see  one  fond  of  appearance,  or  fine  clothes,  fine 
houses,  fine  furniture,  fine  equipages,  all  above  his  for- 

30 tune,  for  which  he  contracts  debts,  and  ends  his  career  in 
a  prison,  Alas!  say  I,  he  has  paid  dear,  very  dear,  for  his 
whistle. 

When  I  see  a  beautiful,  sweet-tempered  girl  married 


The  Whistle  205 

to  an  ill-natured  brute  of  a  husband,  What  a  pity,  say  I, 
that  she  should  pay  so  much  for  a  whistle! 

In  short,  I  conceive  that  great  part  of  the  miseries  of 
mankind  are  brought  upon  them  by  the  false  estimates  they 
have  made  of  the  value  of  things,  and  by  their  giving  too   5 
much  for  their  whistles. 

Yet  I  ought  to  have  charity  for  these  unhappy  people, 
when  I  consider,  that,  with  all  this  wisdom  of  which  I 
am  boasting,  there  are  certain  things  in  the  world  so  tempt 
ing,  for  example,  the  apples  of  King  John,  which  happily  10 
are  not  to  be  bought ;  for  if  they  were  put  to  sale  by  auc 
tion,  I  might  very  easily  be  led  to  ruin  myself  in  the  pur 
chase,  and  find  that  I  had  once  more  given  too  much  for 
the  whistle. 

Adieu,  my  dear  friend,  and  believe  me  ever  yours  very  15 
sincerely  and  with  unalterable  affection, 

B.  FRANKLIN. 


A  LETTER  TO  SAMUEL  MATHER 

PASSY,  May  12,  1784. 
REVD  SIR, 

It  is  now  more  than  60  years  since  I  left  Boston,  but 
I  remember  well  both  your  father  and  grandfather,  hav- 
5ing  heard  them  both  in  the  pulpit,  and  seen  them  in  their 
houses.  The  last  time  I  saw  your  father  was  in  the  be 
ginning  of  1724,  when  I  visited  him  after  my  first  trip 
to  Pennsylvania.  He  received  me  in  his  library,  and  on 
my  taking  leave  showed  me  a  shorter  way  out  of  the  house 

lOthrough  a  narrow  passage,  which  was  crossed  by  a  beam 
overhead.  We  were  still  talking  as  I  withdrew,  he  ac 
companying  me  behind,  and  I  turning  partly  towards  him, 
when  he  said  hastily,  "Stoop,  stoop!"  I  did  not  un 
derstand  him,  till  I  felt  my  head  hit  against  the  beam. 

15 He  was  a  man  that  never  missed  any  occasion  of  giv 
ing  instruction,  and  upon  this  he  said  to  me,  "  You 
are  young,  and  have  the  world  before  you;  stoop  as 
you  go  through  it,  and  you  will  miss  many  hard  thumps." 
This  advice,  thus  beat  into  my  head,  has  frequently  been 

20of  use  to  me;  and  I  often  think  of  it,  when  I  see 
pride  mortified,  and  misfortunes  brought  upon  people  by 
their  carrying  their  heads  too  high. 

B.  FRANKLIN. 


THE   END 


206 


NOTES  AND  COMMENT 


NOTES  AND  COMMENT 

(Heavy  numerals  refer  to  page;  light  ones  to  line.) 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YOUTH  IN  BOSTON  (pages  1-12) 

1,  16.  The  conducing  means.     This  clause  is  made  clearer 
in  the  following  arrangement  of  W.  T.   Franklin's   edition   of 
1817:     "As   constant   good   fortune   has    accompanied    me   even 
to  an  advanced  period  of  life,  my  posterity  will,  perhaps,  be 
desirous  of  learning  the  means  which  I   employed,  and  which, 
thanks  to  Providence,  so  well  succeeded  with  me." 

2,  1 8.  Gratify  my  own  vanity.     Franklin   defended  vanity 
in  a  letter  written  in  1751:     "That  this    (to  praise  ourselves) 
is  a   natural   inclination   appears   in  that  all  children  show  it, 
and  say  freely,  I  am  a  good  boy;  am  I  not  a  good  girl?     .     .     . 
Being  forbid  to  praise  themselves,  they  learn  instead  of  it  to 
censure  others,   which   is   only   a    roundabout  way  of   praising 
themselves;  for  condemning  the  conduct  of  another,  in  any  par 
ticular,  amounts  to  as  much  as  saying,  /  am  so  honest,  or  wise, 
or  good,  or  prudent,  that  I  could  not  do  or  approve  of  such  an 
action.     This  fondness  for  ourselves,   rather  than  malevolence 
to  others,  I  take  to  be  the  general  source  of  censure  and  back 
biting;  and  I  wish  men  had  not  been  taught  to  dam  up  natural 
currents,   to  the   overflowing   and   damage  of   their   neighbor's 
grounds." 

In  this  connection  Woodrow  Wilson  says,  "  And  yet  the  sur 
prising  and  delightful  thing  about  this  book  (the  Autobiog 
raphy)  is  that,  take  it  all  in  all,  it  has  not  the  low  tone  of  con 
ceit,  but  is  a  staunch  man's  sober  and  unaffected  assessment  of 
himself  and  the  circumstances  of  his  career." 

Gibbon  and  Hume,  the  great  British  historians,  who  were 
contemporaries  of  Franklin,  express  in  their  autobiographies  the 
same  feeling  about  the  propriety  of  just  self-praise. 

20Q 


2io  Notes  and  Comment 

Note  illustrations  in  the  Autobiography  of  Franklin's  grat 
ification  of  his  vanity. 

3,  to.  Family  .  .  .  lived  in  ...  Ecton.  See  In 
troduction,  page  ix. 

3,  13.  Name  of  an  order:  a  small  landowner. 

"  Chaucer,  too,  calls  his  country  gentleman  a  Franklin,  and, 
after  describing  his  good  housekeeping,  thus  characterizes  him; 

'  This  worthy  Franklin  had  a  purse  of  silk, 
Fixed  to  his  girdle,  white  as  morning  milk. 
Knight  of  the  Shire,  first  justice  at  the  Assize, 
To  help  the  poor,  the  doubtful  to  advise. 
In  all  employments,  generous,  just,  he  proved, 
Renowned  for  courtesy,  by  all  beloved.'  " 

4,  31.  The  following:  not  in  the  manuscript. 

5,  32.  Outed  for  non-conformity.     They  were  put  out  of 
the  Church  of  England  for  not  following  the  established  usages, 
and  had  to  preach  secretly  to  gatherings  of  dissenters  from  the 
established  Church,  which  were  called  conventicles. 

7,  6.  Sherburne:  Nantucket. 

7,  n.  Grammar-school:  a  school  where  Latin  was  taught. 

7,  12.  Tithe.  The  Puritans,  who  interpreted  the  Bible  liter 
ally,  often  followed  its  injunction  to  give  the  tithe  or  tenth  of 
one's  possessions  to  God's  service. 

7,  20.  Stock  to  set  up  with.  Franklin  is  probably  making 
fun  in  a  mild  way  of  the  profession  of  the  preacher.  Later 
(page  107)  Franklin,  like  Addison,  approves  of  ordinary 
preachers  using  the  sermons  of  greater  thinkers.  See  "  The 
Spectator  at  Coverley  Hall"  (Spectator  No.  106,  July  2,  1711). 

7,  21.  Character:  system  of  shorthand. 

9,  6.  Nothing  was  useful  which  was  not  honest.     Explain 
the  meaning  of  this  statement  and  illustrate  it  by  an  example 
other  than  that  in  the  book. 

10,  1 8.  Marble  over  their  grave.     This  marble  having  de 
cayed,  the  citizens  of  Boston  in  1827  erected  in  its  place  a  granite 
obelisk,   twenty-one  feet  high,  bearing  the   original   inscription 
quoted  in  the  text  and  another  explaining  the  erection  of  the 
monument. 

n,  8.  One  does  not  dress.  How  does  this  figure  of  speech 
explain  Franklin's  purpose  in  writing  the  Autobiography? 


Notes  and  Comment  211 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Give  Franklin's  reasons  for  writing  the  Autobiography, 
and  point  out  the  traits  of  his  character  indicated  in  these 
reasons.  2.  What  were  the  characteristics  of  life  in  Boston  in 
the  early  eighteenth  century?  3.  What  indications  do  you  note 
in  the  boy  Franklin  of  his  later  power  to  rule  other  men,  and 
on  what  trait  of  Franklin's  character  was  that  power  based? 
4.  What  did  Franklin  consider  his  most  important  work  in  life? 
—  See  page  8.  5.  Write  a  character  sketch  of  Franklin's  father. 

II 

BEGINNING  LIFE  AS  A  PRINTER  (pages  12-23) 

12,  9.  My  father's  little  library.     This  description  is  inter 
esting    as    indicating   the    bent   of    the    elder    Franklin's    mind. 
Pilgrim's  Progress  was  then  read  almost  as  widely  as  the  Bible. 
The    possession    of    Plutarch,    the    Greek    historian's    forty-six 
Parallel  Lives  of  Greeks  and  Romans,  showed  a  wider  culture. 
DeFoe's  Essay  on  Projects  and  Cotton  Mather's  Essays  to  do 
Good,  or  Bonefacius  (an  essay  upon  the  good  that  is  to  be  de 
vised  and  designed  by  those  who  desire  to  answer  the  great  end 
of  life  and  to  do  good  'while  they  live),  show  the  practical  side 
of  Josiah  Franklin's  character.     He  was  somewhat  a  Yankee  as 
well   as   a  Puritan.     The  projects  related  to  banks,   assurance 
companies,  asylums,  academies,  etc. 

13,  21.  Occasional  ballads.     These  ballads  owed  their  pop 
ularity  to  their  subjects,  which  were  of  general  interest.     Gold 
smith,  when  he  was  a  student  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  made 
money  by  selling  in  the  streets  ballads  of  his  own  composition. 

13,  26.  Grub-street:  famous  in  English  literature  as  the 
home  of  poor  writers. 

15,  i.  Pointing:  punctuation. 

15,  7.  The  Spectator:  a  daily  London  journal,  comprising 
satirical  essays  on  social  subjects,  published  by  Addison  and 
Steele  in  1711-1712.  The  Spectator  and  its  predecessor,  the 
Tattler  (1709)  marked  the  beginning  of  periodical  literature. 

15,  ii.  I  took  some  of  the  papers.  Robert  Louis  Stevenson 
followed  the  same  plan.  In  his  Memories  and  Portraits  he 
writes:  "Whenever  I  read  a  book  or  a  passage  that  particu 
larly  pleased  me,  in  which  a  thing  was  said  or  an  effect  ren 
dered  with  propriety,  in  which  there  was  either  some  conspicr 


212  Notes  and  Comment 

uous  force  or  some  happy  distinction  in  the  style,  I  must  sit 
down  at  once  and  set  myself  to  ape  that  quality.  I  was  un 
successful,  and  I  knew  it;  and  tried  again,  and  again  was 
unsuccessful  and  always  unsuccessful ;  but,  at  least,  in  these 
vain  bouts  I  got  some  practice  in  rhythm,  in  harmony,  in  con 
struction,  and  in  the  coordination  of  parts.  .  .  .  That,  like 
it  or  not,  is  the  way  to  learn  to  write;  whether  I  have  profited 
or  not,  that  is  the  way.  It  was  so  Keats  learned,  and  there  was 
never  a  finer  temperament  for  literature  than  Keats's;  it  was 
so,  if  we  could  trace  it  out,  that  all  men  have  learned;  and 
that  is  why  a  revival  of  letters  is  always  accompanied  or 
heralded  by  a.  cast  back  to  earlier  and  fresher  models.  Per 
haps  I  hear  some  one  cry  out:  'But  this  is  not  the  way  to  be 
original!  '  It  is  not;  nor  is  there  any  way  but  to  be  born  so. 
Nor  yet,  if  you  are  born  original,  is  there  anything  in  this 
training  that  shall  clip  the  wings  of  your  originality." 

Note,  also,  that  Franklin  took  pains  to  acquire  the  art  of 
arranging  his  material  properly.  Every  good  writer  plans  his 
writing.  Some  are  able  to  carry  the  plan  in  the  mind,  but  it 
is  better  for  young  writers  to  set  down  suitable  general  heads 
under  which  their  details  may  be  marshaled. 

17,  13.  Locke  On  Human  Understanding:  John  Locke 
(1632-1704),  a  celebrated  English  philosopher,  founder  of  the 
so-called  "common-sense"  school  of  philosophers.  He  drew 
up  a  constitution  for  the  colonists  of  Carolina. 

The  Messrs,  du  Port  Royal:  a  noted  society  of  scholarly  and 
devout  men  occupying  the  abbey  of  Port  Royal  near  Paris,  who 
published  learned  works,  among  them  the  one  here  referred  to, 
better  known  as  the  Port  Royal  Logic. 

17,  20.  The  Socratic  method.  Socrates  confuted  hii  op 
ponents  in  argument  by  asking  questions  so  skillfully  devised 
that  the  answers  would  confirm  the  questioner's  position  0r  show 
the  error  of  the  opponent. 

17,  26.  Shaftsbury   and   Collins:     Anthony  Ashley   Cooper, 
third    Earl    of    Shaftsbury    (1671-1713),    and    Anthony    Collins 
(1676-1729),  two  leaders  of  the  Deists,  a  theological  sect  that 
believed  in  the  existence  of  God,  but  not  in  Christianity. 

18,  31.  Pope:     Alexander    Pope     (1688-1744),    the    greatest 
English  poet  of  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

19,  1 6.  The  second  that  appeared  in  America:     Franklin's 
memory  does  not  serve  him  correctly  here.     The  Courant  was 
really  the  fifth  newspaper  established  in  America,  although  gen- 


Notes  and  Comment  213 

erally  called  the  fourth,  because  the  first,  Public  Occurrences, 
published  in  Boston  in  1690,  was  suppressed  after  the  first  issue. 
Following  is  the  order  in  which  the  other  four  papers  were 
published:  Boston  News  Letter,  1704;  Boston  Gazette,  Decem 
ber  21,  1719;  The  American  Weekly  Mercury,  Philadelphia, 
December  22,  1719;  The  New  England  Courant,  1721. 

20,  24.  Discovered:  in  a  sense  not  often  used  now,  that  of 
disclosed.  Look  up  also  ingenious,  page  19,  line  27;  and  de 
meaned,  page  20,  line  33. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  The  influence  of  Franklin's  early  reading  on  his  life  and 
character.  2.  What  do  you  think  of  Franklin's  method  of  learn 
ing  to  write?  3.  Try  to  find  other  cases  of  great  men  who 
educated  themselves  under  difficulties.  4.  What  habit  of  Frank 
lin's  in  disputes  was  responsible  for  his  success  in  argument  and 
persuasion?  5.  How  did  Franklin  first  come  to  edit  a  news 
paper?  6.  Why  did  Franklin  leave  Boston? 

Ill 
ARRIVAL  IN  PHILADELPHIA   (pages  23-31) 

23,  15.  William  Bradford.  Bradford  quarreled  with  Gov 
ernor  Keith,  and  went  to  New  York,  where  he  published  the 
first  newspaper  in  that  colony  in  1725. 

23,  26.  Kill:   Kill   van   Kull,   the  channel   separating   Staten 
Island  from  New  Jersey  on  the  north. 

24,  16.  DeFoe    .    .    .    Richardson.     See  Introduction,  pages 
xxii-xxiii.     Samuel  Richardson,  the  father  of  the  English  novel, 
wrote    Pamela,    Clarissa    Harlowe,    and    the    History    of    Sir 
Charles  Grandison,  novels  published  in  the  form  of  letters. 

25,  6.  The  water  we  sailed  on  being  salt.     The  language 
of  this  description  is  strikingly  like  that  of  similar  descriptions 
in  Robinson  Crusoe. 

25,  8.  Cold  water  drunk  plentifully.  Only  in  recent  times 
have  fever  patients  been  allowed  cold  water,  but  cold  applica 
tions  are  now  used  to  reduce  fever.  Franklin  here,  as  often,  by 
the  exercise  of  common  sense  anticipated  modern  discoveries 
and  methods. 

25»  33*  Cotton  had  done  Virgil.  Charles  Cotton  (1630- 
1687)  wrote  Scarronides,  or  the  First  Book  of  Virgil  Travestie. 


214  Notes  and  Comment 

26,  8.  Bought  gingerbread.  The  introduction  of  these 
homely  incidents  into  the  narrative  of  the  great  man's  life  gives 
it  the  natural  touch  often  mentioned  as  one  of  its  charms. 

29,  27.  Sophister.     The  boy  of  seventeen  displayed  the  keen 
insight  into  character  and  the  power  of  observation  that  later 
marked  the  diplomat  and  scientist. 

30,  5.  Copy:  manuscript. 

30,  6.  Cases.  The  frames  for  holding  type  are  in  two  sec 
tions,  the  upper  for  capitals  and  the  lower  for  small  letters. 

30,  21.  French  prophets:  protestants  of  the  South  of  France, 
who  became  fanatical  under  the  persecutions  of  Louis  XIV,  and 
thought  they  had  the  gift  of  prophecy.  They  had  as  mottoes 
"No  Taxes"  and  "Liberty  of  Conscience." 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Reproduce  Franklin's  narrative  of  his  trip  to  Philadelphia. 
2.  Compare  this  trip  with  a  similar  journey  to-day.  3.  What 
part  of  the  story  of  the  trip  do  you  find  most  interesting  and 
why?  4.  What  traits  of  Franklin's  character  do  you  note  in 
the  narrative  of  his  first  experiences  in  Philadelphia?  —  See 
psges  25  and  27-31.  5.  What  makes  the  pictures  on  pages  25 
and  26  effective?  6.  Discuss  discovered,  page  20,  line  24;  in 
genious,  page  19,  line  27;  and  demeaned,  page  20,  line  33. 


IV 

FIRST  VISIT  TO  BOSTON  (pages  31-40) 

32,  19.  Stared  like  a  pig  poisoned.  Temple  Franklin  con 
sidered  this  specific  figure  vulgar  and  changed  it  to  "  Stared 
with  astonishment."  For  similar  bookish  equivalents  of  homely 
words  and  expressions,  see  notes:  pages  36,  38,  51,  61.  What 
is  the  effect  of  these  changes? 

32,  25.  Both  governments:  Pennsylvania   and   Delaware. 

33,  30.  Raree-show:  a  peep-show  in  a  box. 

33,  30.  Paper  being  the  money  of  Boston.  There  were  no 
mints  in  the  colonies^  so  the  metal  money  was  of  foreign  coin 
age  and  not  nearly  so  common  as  paper  money,  which  was 
printed  in  large  quantities  in  America,  even  in  small  denomina 
tions. 

33,  33-  Piece  of  eight:  Spanish  dollar  about  equivalent  to 
our  dollar. 


Notes  and  Comment  215 

34,  5.  Could  never  forget  or  forgive  it.  The  human  na 
ture  exhibited  by  both  Franklin  and  his  brother  during  this  visit 
is  cleverly  brought  out.  Note  the  dry  humor  of  line  6. 

36,  32.  Sotting  with  brandy.     Temple  Franklin  amends  as 
follows:     "But  during  my  absence  he  had  acquired  a  habit  of 
drinking  of  brandy;  and  I  found  by  his  own  account  as  well  as 
that  of  others,  that  he  had  been  drunk  every  day  since  his  ar 
rival  at  New  York,  and  behaved  himself  in  a  'very  extravagant 
manner." 

Another  good  example  of  his  removal  of  the  strength  and 
virility  of  Franklin's  language  is  found  on  the  next  page.  "  The 
Governor  received  me  with  great  civility,  showed  me  his 
library,  which  was  a  considerable  one,  and  we  had  a  good 
deal  of  conversation  relative  to  books  and  authors."  See  also 
page  32  and  note. 

37,  7.  Had  a  great  many  books i    Notice  how  many  times 
Franklin's  love  of  books   and  reading  gave  him  pleasure  and 
obtained  him  favor.     See  pages  25  and  31. 

38,  24.  The  breaking  into  this  money.    Temple  Franklin 
has,  "  The  Violation  of  my  trust  respecting  Vernon's  money." 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  What  is  the  most  natural  part  of  the  narrative  of  Frank 
lin's  trip  to  Boston?  2.  Of  what  benefit  to  him  was  Franklin's 
love  of  books?  3.  What  do  you  think  of  the  judgment  of 
Franklin's  father  in  refusing  to  set  up  his  son  in  business?  4. 
What  illustration  did  Franklin  cite  in  approval  of  it? 


EARLY  FRIENDS  IN  PHILADELPHIA    (pages  40-44) 

41,  31.  Flesh-pots  of  Egypt:  Exodus  xvi.  3. 

42,  15.  Brogden:  Brockden.     See  page  83. 

44,  19.  Pope  cured  him.  "  In  one  of  the  later  editions  of 
the  Dunciad  occur  the  following  lines: 

'Silence,  ye  wolves!  while  Ralph  to  Cynthia  howls, 
And  makes  night  hideous  —  answer  him,  ye  owls.' 

To  this  the  poet  adds  the  following  note: 

'James  Ralph,  a  name  inserted  after  the  first  editions,  not 
known  till  he  writ  a  swearing-piece  called  Sawney,  very 
abusive  of  Dr.  Swift,  Mr.  Gay,  and  myself.' " 


216  Notes  and  Comment 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

x.  What  does  Franklin's  choice  of  friends  when  he  first  went 
to  Philadelphia,  show  about  his  character?  2.  Franklin's  sense 
of  humor.  (See  pages  30  and  41.)  3.  Does  Franklin's  lan 
guage  suit  his  narrative;  is  it  clear;  is  it  forcible?  (Illustrate 
what  you  say  by  reference  to  pages  32,  36,  38,  51  and  61,  and 
the  notes  bearing  on  these  pages.) 

VI 

FIRST  VISIT  TO  LONDON   (pages  45-58) 

45,  14.  Newcastle.     See  page  31. 

47,  30.  To  be  bound  for  him:  to  be  his  security. 

48,  19.  Little   Britain:   one   of   the   oldest  parts   of   London, 
north  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  called  "  Little  Britain "  because 
the   Dukes   of   Brittany  used   to    live   there.     See   the    essay   en 
titled  "Little  Britain"  in  Washington  Irving's  Sketch  Book. 

48,  26.  Pistole:  a  gold  coin  worth  about  four  dollars  in  our 
money. 

48,  30.  Wilkes:  a  popular  comedian,  manager  of  Drury  Lane 
Theater. 

48,  33.  Paternoster    Row:    Bartholomew    Close:    streets 
north  of  St.  Paul's,  occupied  by  publishing  houses. 

49.  3-  The  Temple:  law  schools  and  lawyers'  residences  sit 
uated    southwest   of    St.   Paul's,   between    Fleet    Street    and    the 
Thames. 

49,  22.  A  Dissertation  on  Liberty.  See  Introduction,  page 
xi. 

51,  17.  Young's  Satires:  Edward  Young  (1681-1765),  an 
English  poet.  See  his  satires,  Vol.  Ill,  Epist.  ii,  page  70. 

51,  24.  Watts's.  The  printing  press  at  which  Franklin 
worked  is  preserved  in  the  Patent  Office  at  Washington. 

51,  32.  Guzzlers   of  beer:    "drinkers   of   beer"    in   Temple 
Franklin's   edition. 

52,  15.  More  flour  in  a  pennyworth  of  bread.    This  opin 
ion   with    regard   to   the    lack   of    nutritious    properties   in    beer, 
however  agreeable  it  may  be  as  a  drink,  is  fully  established  at 
present.     See  note  to  page  25,  line  8.     Franklin's  attitude  toward 
drink   is  one  of  few  relieving  features  of  his  conduct   in  Lon 
don.     Fortunately  his  life  at  this  time  was  not  indicative  of  his 
real  character,  which  later  asserted  itself. 


Notes-  and  Comment  217 

52,  23.  Composing  room.     Franklin  now  left  the  work  of 
operating  the  printing  presses,  which  was  largely  a  matter  of 
manual    labor,    and   began    setting   type,   which    required   more 
skill  and  intelligence. 

53,  2.  Folly  of  being  on  ill  terms.     This  is  a  wise  view 
point,  which  it  takes  many  of  us  a  long  time  to  arrive  at. 

53,  6.  Chapel  laws.  A  printing  house  is  called  a  chapel 
because  Caxton,  the  first  English  printer,  did  his  printing  in  a 
chapel  connected  with  Westminster  Abbey. 

53,  1 8.  I  watched  the  pay-table;  While  Franklin  was  gen 
erous,  he  was  usually  not  foolishly  so. 

53,  24.  St.  Monday:  a  holiday  taken  to  prolong  the  dissipa 
tion  of  Saturday's  wages. 

55,  1 6.  Saint  Veronica.  The  story  is  that  she  met  Christ 
on  His  way  to  crucifixion  and  offered  Him  her  handkerchief  to 
wipe  the  blood  from  His  face,  after  which  the  handkerchief 
always  bore  the  image  of  Christ's  bleeding  face. 

55,  19.  I  give  it.  How  is  the  reason  given  for  introducing 
this  incident  characteristic  of  Franklin? 

55,  30.  Don  Saltero's  curiosities.  James  Salter,  a  former 
servant  of  Hans  Sloane,  lived  in  Cheyne  Walk,  Chelsea.  "  His 
house,  a  barber-shop,  was  known  as  '  Don  Saltero's  Coffee- 
House.'  The  curiosities  were  in  glass  cases  and  constituted  an 
amazing  and  motley  collection  —  a  petrified  crab  from  China,  a 
'  lignified  hog,'  Job's  tears,  Madagascar  lances,  William  the 
Conqueror's  flaming  sword,  and  Henry  the  Eighth's  coat  of 
mail."  (Smyth.) 

55»  33-  Chelsea  to  Blackfnars:  about  three  miles. 

57,  ii.  Fifty  pounds  a  year:  about  one  hundred  and  sixty 
dollars. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  What  weaknesses  of  Franklin's  character  are  shown  by 
the  "  errata  "  or  mistakes  he  mentions  as  having  made  in  Lon 
don? —  Summarize  all  of  these  "errata"  to  date  and  try  to 
form  a  general  conclusion  as  to  the  cause  of  his  mistakes.  2. 
What  kind  of  men  were  the  London  printers?  3.  What  fur 
ther  evidence  does  this  London  experience  offer  of  Franklin's 
powers  as  a  leader  of  men?  4.  What  evidences  are  there  of 
Franklin's  common  sense  and  his  practical  nature;  his  gener 
osity;  his  bodily  strength  and  agility?  (See  pages  48,  52,  53, 
55,  560 


2i 8  Notes  and  Comment 

VII 

BEGINNING  BUSINESS  IN  PHILADELPHIA   (pages  58-75) 

58,  19.  Plan:  "not  found  in  the  manuscript  journal,  which 
was  left  among  Franklin's  papers."  (Bigelow.) 

60,  7.  These    hands.     Notice     how     clearly     and     distinctly 
Franklin  gives  an  idea  of  the  character  of  each  of  these  com 
panions  in  a  few  sentences.     He  properly  enlarges  on  the  ex 
periences  of  the  Oxford  scholar  because  they  are  so  unusual  for 
a  college  man,  as  to  be  interesting. 

61,  17.  Footed  it.     Temple  Franklin  has  walked. 

61,  22.  Crimp's  bill.  A  crimp  was  the  agent  of  a  shipping 
company.  Crimps  were  sometimes  employed  to  decoy  men  into 
such  service  as  is  here  mentioned. 

65,  i.  An  odd  fish:  another  excellent  pen  picture. 

65,  31.  Deism.     See  page  17,  line  26. 

66,  10.  Though  it  might  be  true,  was  not  very  useful. 
The   harmfulness  of   Franklin's   speculations   was   offset  by  his 
practical  standards  of  judgment.     He  wisely  acted  on  the  Bible 
standard,  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

66,  12.  Dryden:  a  great  English  poet,  dramatist,  and  critic 
(1631-1700). 

The  lines  are  inaccurately  quoted  from  Dryden's  (Edipus,  Act 
III,  Scene  I,  line  293. 

67,  n.  Necessity.     Would   the  word   excuse  be  better  here 
from  a  moral  standpoint? 

68,  28.  Rules  that   I  drew  up.     Some   rules  not  mentioned 
here   are   worthy   of   note:     "Any   person   to   be   qualified  —  to 
stand  up,  and  lay  his  hand  upon  his  breast,  and  be  asked  these 
questions,  viz.: 

"  ist.  Have  you  any  particular  disrespect  to  any  present 
member? 

"2nd.  Do  you  sincerely  declare  that  you  love  mankind  in 
general,  of  what  profession  or  religion  soever? 

"  3d.  Do  you  think  any  person  ought  to  be  harmed  in 
his  body,  name,  or  goods,  for  mere  speculative  opinions,  or 
his  external  way  of  worship? 

"  4th.  Do  you  love  truth  for  truth's  sake,  and  will  you 
endeavor  impartially  to  find  and  receive  it  yourself,  and 
communicate  it  to  others  ?  " 


Notes  and  Comment  219 

Sparks  in  his  Works  of  Franklin,  Vol.  II,  page  9,  says,  "  The 
following  rules  for  the  regulation  of  the  Junto,  drawn  up  in 
1728,  will  give  a  clearer  idea  of  its  character,  and,  I  may  add, 
of  the  character  of  its  members: 

"  Have  you  met  with  anything  in  the  author  you  last 
read,  remarkable  or  suitable  to  be  communicated  to  the 
Junto  ? 

"  Have  you  lately  heard  how  any  present  rich  man, 
here  or  elsewhere,  got  his  estate? 

"  Do  you  know  of  a  fellow-citizen,  who  has  lately  done 
a  worthy  action,  deserving  praise  and  imitation? 

"  Do  you  think  of  anything  at  present  in  which  the  Junto 
may  be  serviceable  to  mankind,  to  their  country,  to  their 
friends  or  to  themselves? 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  deserving  young  beginner  lately  set 
up,  whom  it  lies  in  the  power  of  the  Junto  any  way  to 
encourage?  " 

70,  23.  Pro  patria  size:  a  sheet  8^2  by  13^  inches,  having 
the  words  pro  patria  in  translucent  letters  in  the  body  of  the 
paper. 

72,  2.  Busy  Body.     See  Introduction,  page  xii. 

72,  23.  To  be  much  talked  of.  Franklin  was  sensible  of 
the  value  of  advertising.  See  pages  70,  71,  and  77. 

74,  7.  I  thought  myself  under  great  obligations.  Frank 
lin's  sense  of  honor  here  certainly  dominated  his  business  in 
stinct. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Write  paragraphs  on  the  following  subjects:  (a)  The 
hands  in  Keimer's  printing-house,  (b)  Franklin's  facility  in 
making  friends,  (c)  Franklin  and  the  Croaker.  2.  Reproduce 
from  memory  as  nearly  as  you  can,  Franklin's  paragraph  be 
ginning:  "It  was  an  odd  thing  to  find  an  Oxford  scholar  in 
the  situation  of  a  bought  servant."  3.  What  was  the  purpose 
of  the  Junto  and  what  were  some  of  its  rules?  4.  What  char 
acteristics  did  its  members  have  in  common?  5.  What  were 
the  circumstances  of  the  publication  of  Franklin's  first  news 
paper?  6.  Describe  the  appearance  and  character  of  this 
paper. 


22O  Notes  and  Comment 

VIII 

BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FIRST  PUBLIC  SERVICE   (pages  75-87) 

75,  15.  Sunk:  recalled  to  be  redeemed. 

75,  27.  Walnut   Street.     This   part   of   Philadelphia   is   now 
the  center  of  the  wholesale  business  district. 

76,  24.  Beyond    which     the     quantity    may    be    hurtful. 
Paper  money  is  a  promise  to  pay  its  face  value  in  gold  or  sil 
ver.     When   a   state  or  nation  issues  more  such  promises  than 
there  is  a  likelihood  of  its  being  able  to  redeem,  the  paper  rep 
resenting  the  promises  depreciates  in  value.     Before  the  success 
of  the  colonies  in  the  Revolution  was  assured,  it  took  hundreds 
of  dollars  of  their  paper  money  to  buy  a  pair  of  boots. 

77,  i.  Assisted  in  that  by  my  friend.     Notice  how  gener 
ously  Franklin  always  gives  credit  to  those  who  help  him,  not 
a  too  common  practice  among  successful  men. 

78,  13.  However,   as   he   kept   the   post-office.     This    sen 
tence   is   a   good   illustration   of  the   looseness  of  conversational 
English.     If  it  were  properly  divided  and  more  smoothly  ar 
ranged,   it  might  lose  in  naturalness   and   informality  what   it 
gained  in  clearness. 

80,  21.  A     good    and    faithful    helpmate.     Mrs.    Franklin 
survived  her  marriage  over  forty  years.     Franklin's  correspond 
ence  abounds  with  evidence  that  their  union  was  a  happy  one. 
"  We  are  grown  old  together,  and  if  she  has  any  faults,  I  am 
so  used  to  them  that  I  don't  perceive  them."     The  following  is 
a   stanza   from   one   of    Franklin's   own   songs   written    for   the 
Junto : 

"  Of  their  Chloes  and  Phyllises  poets  may  prate, 

I  sing  my  plain  country  Joan, 

These  twelve  years  my  wife,  still  the  joy  of  my  life, 
Blest  day  that  I  made  her  my  own." 

Franklin  was  evidently  a  good  judge  of  poetry.  See  page 
13,  lines  18-32. 

81,  33.  The  above  letters.     After  this  memorandum,  Frank 
lin  inserted  letters  from  Abel  James   and  Benjamin  Vaughan, 
urging  him  to  continue  his  Autobiography. 

86,  25.  Had  he  been  in  my  opinion  a  good  preacher, 
perhaps  I  might  have  continued.  Franklin  expressed  a  dif 
ferent  view  about  the  duty  of  attending  church  later.  Ke 


Notes  and  Comment  221 

writes  to  his  daughter  Sarah:  "Go  constantly  to  church,  who 
ever  preaches.  The  act  of  devotion  ...  is  your  princi 
pal  business  there." 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Mention  instances  where  Franklin's  ability  to  write  was 
of  practical  value  to  him.  2.  What  prominent  trait  of  Frank 
lin's  character  appears  in  his  statement:  "I  took  care  not  only 
to  be  in  reality  industrious  and  frugal,  but  to  avoid  all  appear 
ances  to  the  contrary"?  (See  page  77  and  the  note  to  line  23, 
page  72.)  3.  Why  did  David  Harry  not  become  a  formidable 
rival  of  Franklin's  in  the  printing  business?  4.  What  great 
erratum  did  Franklin  correct  in  1730?  5.  What  kind  of  woman 
was  Mrs.  Franklin  and  how  did  she  help  her  husband?  (See 
pages  80  and  85.)  6.  What  attitude  did  Franklin  recommend 
for  those  who  solicit  subscriptions?  7.  Write  paragraphs  on 
the  following  topics:  (a)  Franklin's  change  in  principles, 
morals,  and  religious  belief.  (See  pages  85-87.)  (b)  The 
essentials  of  religion  according  to  Franklin.  8.  What  was 
Franklin's  opinion  of  the  importance  of  church  attendance? 
(See  note  to  line  25,  page  86.) 

IX 
PLAN  FOR  ATTAINING  MORAL  PERFECTION  (pages  87-103) 

88,  i.  A  task  of  more  difficulty  than  I  had  imagined. 
Franklin  here  displays  his  knowledge  of  human  nature.  The  ac 
curacy  of  his  description  of  the  difficulty  of  acquiring  right  habits 
appeals  to  us.  In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  read  the 
remarkable  and  convincing  chapter  on  "Habit"  in  the  late 
Professor  William  James's  Principles  of  Psychology.  What 
ever  we  may  think  of  the  moral  value  of  Franklin's  plan,  we 
must  acknowledge  the  soundness  of  his  judgment  in  the  selec 
tion  of  the  vital  virtues  and  his  ingenuity  in  arranging  the 
order  of  their  acquirement.  Compare  Philippians  IV,  8. 

90,  29.  Pythagoras:  a  famous  Greek  philosopher,  who  lived 
about  582-500  B.  c.  The  Golden  Verses  here  ascribed  to  him 
are  probably  of  later  origin.  "  The  time  which  he  recommends 
for  this  work  is  about  even  or  bed-time,  that  we  may  conclude 
the  action  of  the  day  with  the  judgment  of  conscience,  making 
the  examination  of  our  conversation  an  evening  song  to  God. 


222  Notes  and  Comment 

Wherein  have  I  transgressed?  What  have  I  done?  What 
duty  have  I  omitted?  So  shall  we  measure  our  lives  by  the 
rules  above  mentioned,  if  to  the  law  of  the  mind  we  join  the 
judgment  of  reason." — Translated  from  Hierocles'  version  of 
the  verses.  (Bigelow.) 

92,  29.  O    Vitae,    etc.     "O    philosophy,    guide    of    life!     O 
searcher    out   of   virtue    and    exterminator    of   vice!     One    day 
spent  well   and  in   accordance  with  thy  precepts   is  worth   an 
immortality  of  sin." —  Tusculan  Inquiries,  Book  V. 

93,  6.  Following    little    prayer.    Both    these    prayers    are 
excellent.     Note    the   comprehensiveness    of    the   first;    wisdom, 
strength,  service. 

95,  6.  Order  gave  me  the  most  trouble.  Professor  Mc- 
Master  tells  us  that  when  Franklin  was  American  Agent  in 
France,  his  lack  of  business  order  was  a  source  of  annoyance 
to  his  colleagues  and  friends.  "  Strangers  who  came  to  see  him 
were  amazed  to  behold  papers  of  the  greatest  importance  scat 
tered  in  the  most  careless  way  over  the  table  and  floor." 

97,  6.  Joint  influence  of  the  whole  mass  of  the  virtues. 
While  there  can  be  no  question  that  Franklin's  moral  improve 
ment  and  happiness  were  due  to  the  practice  of  these  virtues, 
yet  most  people  will  agree  that  we  shall  have  to  go  back  of  his 
plan  for  the  impelling  motive  to  a  virtuous  life.  Franklin's 
own  suggestion  that  the  scheme  smacks  of  "  foppery  in  morals  " 
seems  justified.  Woodrow  Wilson  well  puts  it:  "Men  do  not 
take  fire  from  such  thoughts,  unless  something  deeper,  which  is 
missing  here,  shine  through  them.  What  may  have  seemed  to 
the  eighteenth  century  a  system  of  morals  seems  to  us  nothing 
more  vital  than  a  collection  of  the  precepts  of  good  sense  and 
sound  conduct.  What  redeems  it  from  pettiness  in  this  book  is 
the  scope  of  power  and  of  usefulness  to  be  seen  in  Franklin 
himself,  who  set  these  standards  up  in  all  seriousness  and 
candor  for  his  own  life."  See  Galatians,  chapter  V,  for  the 
Christian  plan  of  moral  perfection. 

99,  10.  Denied  myself  the   pleasure   of  contradicting:   a 
wise    practice.     Addison    adopted    the    opposite    method,    which 
Macaulay  accounts  one  of  the  great  writer's  few  weaknesses. 
See  Macaulay's  Essay  on  Addison. 

100,  2.  Pride.     See  pages  2  and  83-84  and  the  letter  to  Sam 
uel  Mather,  page  206. 

100,  10.  I  am  now  about  to  write.  "This  is  a  marginal 
memorandum."  (Bigelow,) 


Notes  and  Comment  223 

ior,  4.  Their  own  and  their  country's  interest  was  united. 
This  is  at  present  the  plea  of  private  enterprise  for  the  control 
of  public  utilities  and  national  resources,  and  for  special  legis 
lative  favors. 

102,  20.  Free  from  the  dominion  of  vice.  See  Galatians, 
chapter  V. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Be  able  to  name  in  order  the  virtues  Franklin  cultivated, 
and  to  give  his  reasons  for  the  order.  2.  Criticise  the  Plan, 
giving  its  advantages  and  its  weakness.  3.  What  results  in 
his  own  life  did  Franklin  attribute  to  his  following  the  Plan? 
4.  Why  would  such  a  plan  be  more  helpful  to  Franklin  than  to 
ordinary  men?  5.  Which  one  of  the  virtues  gave  Franklin  the 
most  trouble?  6.  What  bearing  on  the  Plan  had  the  story  of 
the  speckled  ax?  7.  What  trait  of  Franklin  is  shown  in  his 
discussion  of  humility?  8.  Why  did  Franklin  call  a  United 
Party  for  Virtue,  the  Society  of  the  Free  and  Easy?  9.  What 
was  the  purpose  of  this  society  and  what  its  creed  ? 


POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANAC;  OTHER  ACTIVITIES 
(pages   103-112) 

103,  10.  Almanac.     The   almanac   at  that  time  was   a  kind 
of  periodical  as  well  as  a  guide  to  natural  phenomena  and  the 
weather.     Franklin   took   his  title  from  Poor  Robin,   a   famous 
English   almanac,   and   from  Richard    Saunders,    a   well-known 
almanac    publisher.     For    the    maxims    of    Poor    Richard,    see 
pages  199-202. 

104,  28.  Excluded  all  libeling.     This  paragraph  should  be 
read  carefully  for  its   direct  bearing  on  the  present   abuse  of 
the  liberty  of  the  press  in  the  same  way.     Liberty  means  not 
license  but  added  responsibility. 

106,  24.  Inculcated  strongly  the  practice  of  virtue.     See 
pages  85-86. 

107,  17.  Good  sermons  composed  by  others.     See  note  to 
page  7,  line  20. 

108,  4.  Beat   one   another  into   that   language.     Franklin 
turned  even  Ijis  games  to  practical  use. 


224  Notes  and  Comment 

109,  5.  Serviceable  to  them  in  common  life.  "The  au 
thority  of  Franklin,  the  most  eminently  practical  man  of  his 
age,  in  favor  of  reserving  the  study  of  the  dead  languages  until 
the  mind  has  reached  a  certain  maturity,  is  confirmed  by  the 
confession  of  one  of  the  most  eminent  scholars  of  any  age. 

"  '  Our  seminaries  of  learning,'  says  Gibbon,  '  do  not  exactly 
correspond  with  the  precept  of  a  Spartan  king,  that  the  child 
should  be  instructed  in  the  arts  which  will  be  useful  to  the 
man;  since  a  finished  scholar  may  emerge  from  the  head  of 
Westminster  or  Eton,  in  total  ignorance  of  the  business  and 
conversation  of  English  gentlemen  in  the  latter  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  But  these  schools  may  assume  the  merit  of 
teaching  all  that  they  pretend  to  teach,  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages.'"  (Bigelow.) 

no,  31.  Influencing  the  public  opinion.  The  establish 
ment  of  the  Junto  and  its  expansion  illustrate  Franklin's  great 
capacity  for  organization.  In  our  day  he  might  easily  have 
been  the  leader  of  some  powerful  political  or  commercial  or 
ganization. 

112,  i.  More  profitable  ...  to  remove.  Franklin  does 
not  give  sounder  advice  than  this.  It  is  the  secret  of  the  success 
of  public  men. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Discuss  Poor  Richard's  Almanac;  name,  purpose,  and  suc 
cess.  2.  What  was  Franklin's  attitude  toward  the  liberty  of 
the  press?  3.  What  kind  of  preaching  did  Franklin  prefer? 
4.  What  do  you  think  of  Franklin's  theory  regarding  the  study 
of  languages?  5.  How  did  Franklin  turn  his  games  to  prac 
tical  use?  6.  Compare  the  newspaper  of  Franklin's  day  with 
the  modern  newspaper.  (See  pages  19-21.)  7.  What  was 
Franklin's  method  of  removing  the  hostility  of  an  opponent? 


XI 

FRANKLIN'S  INTEREST  IN  PUBLIC  AFFAIRS  (pages  112-120) 

113,  3.  A  place  of  profit.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
corruption  and  inefficiency  in  public  service  are  not  a  modern 
product.  Notice  that  Franklin  was  a  practica.1  reformer.  He 


Notes  and  Comment  225 

argued  along  lines  that  he  knew  would  appeal  most  strongly 
to  his  fellow-citizens. 

114,  34.  Mr.    Whitefield:    George    Whiten" eld,    pronounced 
Hwit'field    (1714-1770),    a    celebrated    English   clergyman    and 
pulpit  orator,  one  of  the  founders  of  Methodism. 

115,  24.  Westminster  Hall:  a  part  of  the  palace  of  West 
minster,  now  forming  the  vestibule  to  the  Houses  of  Parliament 
in  London. 

116,  3.  Instead   of  being  made  with  hardy,  industrious 
husbandmen.     The  purpose  of  the  founder  of  Georgia,  James 
Oglethorpe,  was  not  to  build  up  the  colony  so  much  as  it  was  to 
relieve  the  poor  debtors  in  England.     Franklin's  just  criticism 
should  be  directed  to  the  practicability  of  the  relief  thus  offered. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Write  paragraphs  on  the  following  subjects:  (a)  Corrup 
tion  and  inefficiency  in  public  service  are  not  modern  products, 
(b)  The  equipment  of  a  fire  company  in  Franklin's  day.  (c) 
George  Whitefield's  power  of  persuasion.  (See  page  116.)  2. 
What  advantage  has  an  itinerant  (traveling)  preacher  over  a 
stationary  preacher,  according  to  Franklin?  3.  Why  did 
George  Whitefield's  writing  and  printing  give  great  advantage 
to  his  enemies?  4.  How  did  Franklin  prove  to  his  own  satis 
faction  that  Whitefield  could  be  heard  in  the  open  air  by  an 
audience  of  thirty  thousand?  5.  Why  were  Franklin's  relations 
with  his  partners  always  friendly? 

XII 

DEFENSE  OF  THE  PROVINCE  (pages  120-130) 

123,  18.  Into  German.  Wm.  Penn's  agents  sought  recruits 
for  the  colony  of  Pennsylvania  in  the  low  countries  of  Germany, 
and  there  are  still  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  many  Germans,  in 
accurately  called  Pennsylvania  Dutch.  Many  of  them  use  a 
Germanized  English. 

125,  26.  After  a  little  seeming  hesitation.  On  many  occa 
sions  Franklin  proved  himself  an  adroit  politician.  (See  pages 
136-137.) 

129,  z 8.  An  open  stove.    The  Franklin  stove  is  still  in  use. 


226  Notes  and  Comment 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

I.  How  did  Franklin  succeed  in  having  measures  for  the 
defense  of  the  province  adopted?  2.  Illustrate  by  anecdotes  the 
attitude  of  the  Quakers  toward  defensive  warfare.  (See  pages 
126-128.)  3.  Write  paragraphs  on  the  following  subjects:  (a) 
Religious  narrowness  and  the  man  in  the  fog.  (b)  The  inven 
tion  of  the  Franklin  stove. 

XIII 
PUBLIC  SERVICES  AND  DUTIES  (pages  130-145) 

137,  28.  Might  have  the  credit  of  being  charitable  with 
out  the  expense.  Where  else  does  Franklin  show  knowledge 
of  human  nature?  (See  pages  83-84  and  in.) 

141,  7.  Vauxhall:  Vauxhall  Gardens,  once  a  popular  and 
fashionable  London  resort,  situated  on  the  Thames  above 
Lambeth.  The  Gardens  were  closed  in  1859,  but  they  will  al 
ways  be  remembered  because  of  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley's  visit 
to  them  in  the  Spectator  and  from  the  descriptions  in  Smollett's 
Humphry  Clinker  and  Thackeray's  Vanity  Fair. 

141,  33.  Craven  Street:  a  short  street  near  Charing  Cross, 
London. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Write  paragraphs  on  the  following  subjects:  (a)  The 
founding  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  (b)  A  treaty 
with  the  Indians,  (c)  Franklin  as  a  politician.  (See  pages 
125  and  137-138.)  2.  What  was  Franklin's  method  of  securing 
subscriptions?  (See  pages  83-84,  136  and  138.)  3.  How  did 
Franklin  improve  on  the  London  street  lamps,  and  where  did 
he  get  the  idea  for  the  improvement?  4.  What  was  Franklin's 
plan  for  cleaning  the  London  streets  and  what  is  your  opinion 
of  its  merits?  5.  What  honors  did  Franklin  receive  in  1753? 

XIV 

ALBANY  PLAN  OF  UNION  (pages  145-148) 
QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Write  three  paragraphs  on  the  Plan  of  Union,  giving  (i) 
its  origin,  (2)  a  description  of  the  plan  and  the  reasons  for  its 


Notes  and  Comment  227 

rejection,  and  (3)  Franklin's  conviction  of  the  important  results 
that  would  have  followed  its  adoption. 


XV 

QUARRELS  WITH  THE  PROPRIETARY  GOVERNORS   (pages  148-152) 

149,  8.  They  never  get  good  will.  This  shrewd  comment 
should  not  be  overlooked.  For  another  similar  expression  see 
page  in,  line  34.  Franklin's  methods  of  gaining  the  support 
of  his  fellow-citizens  and  so  making  his  schemes  for  the  public 
welfare  effective  might  well  be  copied  by  our  present-day 
reformers. 

149,  34.  Sancho    Panza:    the    "  round,    selfish,    and    self-im 
portant  "  squire  of  Don  Quixote  in  Cervantes'  romance  of  that 
name. 

150,  14.  These    public    quarrels.     "  My    acts    in    Morris's 
time,  military,  etc."     (Marg.  note.) 

150,  31.  Crown  Point:  on  Lake  Champlain,  ninety  miles 
north  of  Albany.  It  was  captured  by  the  French  in  1731,  at 
tacked  by  the  English  in  1755  and  1756,  and  abandoned  by  the 
French  in  1759.  It  was  finally  captured  from  the  English  by 
the  Americans  in  1775. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  What  was  Franklin's  opinion  of  the  practice  of  disputing 
with  people?  2.  What  qualities  did  Franklin  show  in  his  con 
tention  with  the  proprietary  governors?  3.  What  was  the 
cause  of  the  trouble  between  the  Assembly  and  the  proprietary 
governors? 

XVI 

BRADDOCK'S  EXPEDITION    (pages  152-165) 

I55>  7-  Occasionally:  by  chance. 

156,  28.  I  have  no  particular  interest.  This  circular  let 
ter  is  admirably  conceived  to  meet  its  purpose,  but  does  not 
give  a  favorable  impression  of  the  patriotism  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vanians.  In  this  respect  it  accords  with  Parkman's  view  of 
these  colonists,  as  expressed  in  his  Montcalm  and  Wolfe. 

159,  10.  Fort  Duquesne:  Pittsburg;  Frontenac:  Kingston, 
at  the  eastern  end  of  Lake  Ontario. 


228  Notes  and  Comment 

161,  20.  The  prowess  of  British  regulars  had  not  been 
well  founded.     Other   accounts   of  this   expedition   and   defeat 
should    be    read,    as    Fiske's    Washington   and   his    Country,   or 
Lodge's  George  Washington,  Vol.  I.     Find  out,  if  you  can,  any 
reason    for    Franklin's    omission    of   Washington's   part   in    the 
battle  and  retreat. 

162,  15.  David    Hume:    a    famous    Scotch    philosopher    and 
historian    (1711-1776). 

163,  1 6.  General  Shirley:   Governor  of   Massachusetts   and 
Commander  of  the  British  forces  in  America. 

165,  10.  Dialogue.  This  dialogue  and  the  militia  act  are 
in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine  for  February  and  March,  1756. 
(Marg.  note.) 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  In  what  ways  did  Franklin  appeal  to  the  Pennsylvania 
farmers,  in  his  advertisement  and  circular  letter,  to  provide 
horses  and  wagons  for  Braddock's  expedition?  2.  From  the 
nature  of  this  appeal,  what  idea  do  you  get  of  the  character 
of  the  colonists?  3.  What  was  Franklin's  opinion  of  General 
Braddock?  4.  Write  briefly  Franklin's  account  of  Braddock's 
defeat  and  the  British  retreat.  5.  Account  for  an  important 
difference  that  you  note  between  Franklin's  narrative  of  the 
defeat  and  the  narrative  as  given  in  histories.  6.  What  idea 
of  the  camp  fare  of  British  officers  in  the  eighteenth  century, 
do  you  get  from  the  present  sent  to  General  Braddock's  offi 
cers?  7.  What  illustration  of  Franklin's  good  sense  do  you 
note,  in  connection  with  a  proposed  celebration  of  the  as 
sumed  victory  for  Braddock? 

XVII 
FRANKLIN'S  DEFENSE  OF  THE  FRONTIER    (pages   165-174) 

J65,  27.  Gnadenhut:  pronounced  Gna'-den-hoot. 

167,  12.  Gunlocks:   flint-lock  guns,  discharged  by  means   of 
a  spark  struck  from  flint  and  steel  into  powder    (priming)    in 
an  open  pan. 

168,  9.  Perch:  here  the  pole  connecting  the  front  and   rear 
wheels  of  a  wagon. 

1 68,  13.  To  fire:  firing  is  the  more  usual  construction. 

169,  32.  Steward  of  the  rum:  an  excellent  example  of  Frank- 


Notes  and  Comment  229 

lin's  ingenuity  and  his  practical  nature.     What  constitutes  the 
humor  of  the  incident? 

170,  34.  I  observed  loopholes.  Franklin's  power  of  ob 
servation  was  of  great  assistance  to  him  in  all  his  work. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Write  paragraphs  on  the  following  subjects:  (a)  The  In 
dians  and  wet  guns,  (b)  How  Franklin  built  a  fort,  (c) 
How  the  Indians  kept  a  fire  unobserved.  2.  How  did  Franklin 
illustrate  from  his  own  experiences  that  when  men  are  em 
ployed  they  are  best  contented,  and  that  reward  is  preferable  to 
punishment  as  a  means  of  making  people  do  their  duty?  3. 
Write  a  paragraph  on  Moravian  customs. 


XVIII 

SCIENTIFIC  EXPERIMENTS   (pages  174-179) 

175,  9.  Royal    Society.     The  Royal    Society  of   London   for 
Improving  Natural  Knowledge  was  founded  in  1660  and  holds 
the  foremost  place   among  English   societies  for  the   advance 
ment  of  science. 

176,  10.  Sameness  of  lightning  with  electricity.     See  page 
197. 

176,  25.  Buffon:  a  celebrated  French  naturalist  (1707-1788). 

176,  27.  Dalibard.  Dalibard,  who  had  translated  Franklin's 
letters  to  Collinson  into  French,  was  the  first  to  demonstrate,  in 
a  practical  application  of  Franklin's  experiment,  that  lightning 
and  electricity  are  the  same.  "  This  was  May  loth,  1752,  one 
month  before  Franklin  flew  his  famous  kite  at  Philadelphia  and 
proved  the  fact  himself."  (McMaster.) 

178,  33.  Copley:  an  English  baronet  (died  in  1709)  dona- 
tor  of  a  fund  of  £100,  "  in  trust  for  the  Royal  Society  of  Lon 
don  for  improving  natural  knowledge." 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  Write  a  brief  account  of  the  publication  and  reception  of 
Franklin's  theory  of  electricity.  2.  Write  a  paragraph  on  the 
kite  experiment.  (See  page  197.)  3.  Give  Franklin's  reasons 
for  not  answering  the  Abbe  Nollet's  letters. 


230  Notes  and  Comment 

XIX 

AGENT  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  IN  LONDON  (pages  179-195) 

180,  6.  I  could  not  possibly  accept  of  any.  Franklin  here 
illustrates  the  right  attitude  of  a  public  official  toward  private 
interests  seeking  legislative  favors. 

180,  21.  They:  refers  to  instruction  in  line  19,  which  Frank 
lin  must  have  thought  of  as  plural. 

180,  33.  Dispute:   quarrel  between   George   II   and  his  son, 
Frederick,  Prince  of  Wales,  who  died  before  his  father. 

181,  3.  Dunciad:    a    satirical    poem   by   Alexander   Pope    di 
rected  against  various  contemporary  writers. 

184,  5.  Mr.  Pitt:  William  Pitt,  first  Earl  of  Chatham  (1708- 
1778),  a  great  English  statesman  and  orator.     Under  his  able 
administration,  England  won  Canada  from  France.     He  was  a 
friend  of  America  at  the  time  of  our  Revolution. 

185,  1 8.  Such  a  man  came  to  be  intrusted.     This  relation 
illustrates  the  corruption  that  characterized  English  public  life 
in  the  eighteenth  century.     (See  page  187.)     It  was  gradually 
overcome  in  the  early  part  of  the  next  century. 

186,  10.  Worm:  teredo  or  ship-worm. 

188,  13.  Log:  a  piece  of  wood  shaped  and  weighted  so  as 
to  keep  it  stable  when  in  the  water.  To  this  is  attached  a  line 
knotted  at  regular  distances.  By  these  devices  it  is  possible  to 
tell  the  speed  of  a  ship. 

191,  i.  Stonehenge:  a  celebrated  prehistoric  ruin,  probably 
of  a  temple  built  by  the  early  Britons,  near  Salisbury,  England. 
It  consists  of  inner  and  outer  circles  of  enormous  stones,  some 
of  which  are  connected  by  stone  slabs. 

191,  3.  We  arrived  in  London.  "  Here  terminates  the 
Autobiography,  as  published  by  Wm.  Temple  Franklin  and  his 
successors.  What  follows  was  written  in  the  last  year  of  Dr. 
Franklin's  life,  and  was  never  before  printed  in  English." 
(Mr.  Bigelow's  note  in  his  edition  of  1868.) 

191,  17.  Lord  Granville:  George  Granville  or  Grenville 
(1712-1770).  As  English  premier  from  1763  to  1765,  he  intro 
duced  the  direct  taxation  of  the  American  Colonies  and  has 
sometimes  been  called  the  immediate  cause  of  the  Revolution. 

191,  34.  The  king  is  the  Legislator  of  the  Colonies. 
This  whole  passage  shows  how  hopelessly  divergent  were  the 
English  and  American  views  on  the  relations  between  the 


Notes  and  Comment  231 

mother  country  and  her  colonies.  Grenville  here  made  clear 
that  the  Americans  were  to  have  no  voice  in  making  or  amend 
ing  their  laws.  Parliament  and  the  king  were  to  have  absolute 
power  over  the  colonies.  No  wonder  Franklin  was  alarmed 
by  this  new  doctrine.  With  his  keen  insight  into  human  nature 
and  his  consequent  knowledge  of  American  character,  he  fore 
saw  the  inevitable  result  of  such  an  attitude  on  the  part  of 
England.  This  conversation  with  Grenville  makes  these  last 
pages  of  the  Autobiography  one  of  its  most  important  parts. 

192,  24.  Mutual  declarations  of  disposition  to  reasonable 
accommodations.  This  little  incident  shows  that  some  of  our 
political  methods  are  not  so  modern  as  we  think.  It  is  a  favor 
ite  device  of  some  present-day  politicians  to  agree  with  the 
people  on  all  great  principles  of  public  policy,  and  then  quietly 
defeat  the  application  of  those  principles  in  given  cases  wher 
ever  it  suits  their  private  interest  to  do  so. 

QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

i.  What  was  Franklin's  attitude  as  a  public  official  toward 
proprietary  favors?  2.  Write  paragraphs  on  the  following 
subjects:  (a)  Lord  London's  dilatoriness.  (b)  The  slowness  of 
Franklin's  ship  and  how  this  defect  was  remedied,  (c)  A 
narrow  escape.  3.  What  was  Lord  Grenville's  view  of  Amer 
ican  rights?  4.  Write  briefly  on  the  following  subjects:  (a) 
The  many-sided  Franklin,  (b)  Franklin's  place  in  literature, 
(c)  The  character  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  (d)  The  history  of 
the  Autobiography.  5.  What  were  Franklin's  chief  qualities  as 
a  business  man  and  as  a  public  official?  6.  Find  examples  of 
Franklin's  knowledge  of  human  nature;  of  his  tact;  of  his 
habit  of  observation. 


LOAN  DEPT. 


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